American Beauty (R, 1999)

My all-time favorite.

This movie is one of those rare films that is both art and entertainment. I fell in love with this movie from start to finish and watched it 3 times over again the day after. Amazing, beautiful, well-acted, excellently written and shot, funny, cool, and explicit. Many would say this movie is for adults only, but as you can see, I'm fourteen and had no problem at all with it. There's some sexual dialogue amd two or three bare-breasted incidents. The first is the shortest, less than a second long. A flash of a website on a computer. The second is medium, seen from a distance, maybe ten seconds or a bit more. Not that much. But the last incident, very near the powerful ending, is a couple of minutes. It's pretty long. But again, I could handle it and I think you need to know your kid before you let him/her see this movie. There is a handful of language, but it's not PULP FICTION, and towards the end there is one very violent murder resulting in a LOT of blood pouring from someone's head, but it's not a waterfall. It's a pretty explicit movie but one of the best I've ever seen. Adults, go rent it and bring your MATURE teens with you, kids, ask.

To me, American Beauty is reminiscent of Woody Allen; except R-rated and modernized. Just like Battleship Potemkin or Citizen Kane, Beauty is like a textbook for filmmakers; it’s the definition of a successful motion picture. You may be saying, “I’ve seen Annie Hall and Manhattan, they’re nothing like American Beauty.” Consider the subjects of movies such as Hannah and Her Sisters and Interiors; love and lust; rape and sexual violence. Some of the best performances of the decade can be found in Beauty; Kevin Spacey knocks ‘em dead with his performance as Lester Burnham, a troubled suburban man going through mid-life crisis. Spacey’s performance is extremely powerful because sometimes you want to laugh at him and sometimes you want to scream at him. Lester is very believable and maybe even relatable to. Annette Bening also does a marvelous job as Lester’s wife. Sometimes I crack up thinking that this was the same woman who played the prez’s lover in The American President. Spacey and Bening’s, well, hate for each other is a show-stealer. Alan Ball does a superb job with the script, giving it an excellent plot and adding things such as a narrator and a truly thumbs-up opening sequence. Climax, conflict? He does it all. The artistic direction and cinematography are also fantastic, another great combo. If you haven’t seen American Beauty or you have and hated it: watch it (again). It’s a masterpiece.

I think this is one of the most brilliant films I have ever had the pleasure of watching. It is not for weak minded audiences and I recommend that parents do not show it to young children for obvious reasons. The story line is engaging, the acting is spectacular, and the casting is perfect. Spacey proves to be an excellent choice for Lester and Bening is wonderful as Carolyn. Overall I give this film the highest of ratings and place it in the must see category for every movie fan.

Tell me something beautiful and thought provoking, If you are 15 and apparently understood it then why wouldnt a 17 year old understand it.

TONS of adult content. I watched this as a 14-year-old. At that time, I had a very mature mind & understood the movie somewhat. Now, I understand it completely. Amazing movie about real, true beauty & a falling family. Acting is good. Bad messages &, I repeat, tons of adult content. Beware of letting your younger ones watch, parents. Overall, nice film.

A well done x-ray of suburban life in the 1970s, with desire as the thread that unravels the hypocrisies of an empty existence. Very nicely filmed, but a cold movie.

On my top 10!Strong oral sex,language including F***,smoking of pot,and sets a bad role model to be a B**** like his wife.

Sam Mendes' triupmphant debut shows us the story of a depressed downtrodden individual who decides to do something about it. Very inspiring.