American Beauty Review
Very rarely does a film come along and show people what life is really like. The importance, the joy, and troubles of life in today's society, are hardly reflected in the media, let alone a motion picture. That is until, of course, I viewed a near perfect film, that made me ponder into life itself. The story revolves around a suburban neighborhood. We see the unhappy Kevin Spacey character, bored with his life. When he speaks of a normal day, he says that masturbating is the only highlight. That alone gets a sense of what is to come. Annette Bening, is his wife of many years, who seems to have no troubles, except when it comes to tearing away at Spacey's habits. Their daughter (Thora Birch), is the type of teen, who's life is gloom, almost gothic like. She hates her parents, and hangs out with her popular friend (Mena Suvari). Meanwhile, a creepy new neighbor (Wes Bentley), shows up and secretly tapes what he sees. Things start picking up immediately at this point. Spacey goes a little insane, and rebels against life, doing what he pleases (including fantasies with Mena Suvari). Annette on the other hand, is cheating on Spacey and Thora Birch hits it off with the next door neighbor, Bentley. This all may seem like too much, but it's actually quite fitting upon viewing it. "American Beauty" displays what few films dismiss in the 90's, and that is presenting a complicated situation, and altering it's course, there by making the film believable. I admit at first, the film appeared to be rather discomforting, but thankfully, the acting graced the film, to help from falling into that occurrence. Kevin Spacey has been known for his acting ability, but has never been given a chance to prove it. I'm happy to say, that has finally changed. Spacey is just flat out superb. It's outstanding, how he is able to shift into different emotions, and at the same time, not disrupting the film's pace. I honestly think he deserves an oscar for this role, unless someone better comes along in a film this fall. There was also a truly magnificent performance from Annette Bening. It was considerably intriguing, to see Bening and Spacey argue about their daughter and marriage, because you know instantly, their marriage has gone to pieces. The only problem that I had with "American Beauty," was the length and Wes Bentley. Although the film was laid out nicely, parts did tend to drag, but it doesn't make much of a dent. Wes Bentley however, was the only perspective, that I felt, was out of focus. The whole film, I was waiting for a result in his character, but I couldn't help but feel something was hidden from us. It might possibly be his view on the world, but I'm leaning towards something in the past. Not sure what that might be though. This might be a bit much, but this film will change the way you look at life. It's a wake-up call to today's society, showing us to cherish what we have before it's too late. You can't just wake up everyday and go off to work, you have to live a little and love the things that are most important to you. I was touched at how the message affected me. Very profound. One thing I can guarantee, is that director Sam Mendes, is bound to receive a lot of attention for his work with this film. It's by far one of the most impressive directorial. debuts of the decade. I'm looking forward to his next project, and hopefully it will be in-tune with a similar topic. The end result is something out of the ordinary. A spectacular piece that improves the more you think about it. Unforgettable.
Grade: A-
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