This is an amazing movie that shows the hidden secrets of families that look perfect on the outside. It shows struggles of adults as well as teenagers. I absolutely love this movie!

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.

This is not a movie meant for kids... at all. Teens though, if they can handle it, should be shown this incredible piece of modern cinema. It's got lots of nudity, boatloads of strong sexual content, language, drugs, and disturbing violent content. However, it will beneficial for any teen to see that is an aspiring film critic like myself or one who is a big movie fan. Parents should watch it first.

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.

Truly darkly amazing. It's soo beautiful I almost just can't take it! This film has great acting, especially from the main family and the young man who plays his daughters boyfriend. One of the best films ever made in my opinion- truly great. You really have to watch it to get the feel of it. The father is portrayed as an assh*le who goes after a seventeen year old girl and ignores his family, His daughter is seen as fed up with her family, the mother is a competitive b*tch who cheats on her husband and no one seems to care. All in the middle of this is his daughter her boyfriend and her best friend- a pretty blonde teen who is famous for being a model and seducing older men (Though we figure out she is more innocent at the end) This movie deals with affairs, sex, homosexuality, and just about everything else. Amazing for everyone who can take it. A harsh look at suburban life.