American Beauty (DVD, 2000, Limited Edition Packaging; Awards Edition; Widescreen)

Kevin Spacey won an Oscar for his portrayal of Lester Burnham, father and husband lost in this day and age (1999). He is bored at work, his wife does not fulfill his needs, and his daughter is at the age where she is ashamed of her parents. So what does he do? He fantasizes having an affair with his daughter's best friend (Mena Suvari). He quits his job, starts working out in the basement, smokes pot--expensive marijuana, and buys a sports car. He starts working at a Mc Donald's type fast food joint. He is certainly having a male menopause.

In the meantime, his wife Carolyn Burnham, played by Annette Bening (in an Oscar nominated role as Best Actress), is having her own meltdown. She is a frustrated realtor, who eventually has an affair with a top realtor (Peter Gallagher). She is outraged at her husband's behavior and starts practicing shooting a gun. And when her husband catches her locked in a kiss with this man, she really gets desperate. She may be on her way home to kill Lester.

Their next door neighbor is Chris Cooper("Lonesome Dove" and "Adaptation"), a really screwed up retired Marine Colonel Fitts, who dominates his wife (Allison Janney from "The Hours") and son Ricky (played by Wes Bentley). In an unusual role for Chris Cooper, we see him doing drug testing of his son, going ballistic when Ricky takes an item out of his locked up collection of memorabilia, and physically fighting and beating his son for practically no reason. In the meantime, Mrs. Fitts is like a Stepford wife and just sits all day in a daze; she must be on tranquilizers to live with such a man.

The only happy characters in the neighborhood are the male homosexual couple
(Scott Bakula and Sam Robards ), who happily jog and deliver welcome baskets to new neighbors. The movie does not dwell in their lives much.

This movie is supposed to be funny but it is a sad commentary on the way that some of us live today. Even couples can be detached from each other--each trying to make their own way to the top in the world. Hatred of gay people, domestic violence, teenagers and parents on drugs, promiscuous sex, an almost statutory rape, child abuse--all are subjects of this movie.

I will say though, that the funniest scene is when Lester catches his wife while working at Mr. Smiley's fast food joint. She and her lover come through the drive in and he hears her voice. When she drives to the pick-up window, he greets them with "Welcome to Mr. Smiley's. Would you like a Cheese and Pot Pie on a stick? Would you like Mr. Smiley sauce with that?"

This movie won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Sam Mendez), Best Cinematography, and Best Actor (Spacey). It has won acclaim from the Writers Guild, the Directors Guild, and was on almost every critic's top 10 list of movies for that year.

The DVD has almost 3 additional hours of video explaining the movie. This is obviously a movie to see, but whether you are entertained or not is up to you and your ability to like and dislike characters.

The movie American Beauty is one of the most astonishing films ive ever seen. The Film gives the viewer an insight into the actual life of suburban families. Though often times they look like a well off, high earning example of a family...their not. And quite the opposite, hiding behind the lies they create this family starts its slow downward spiral from the opening frame. Having a father who has a crush on your best friend, having a wife who is sleeping with a real estate agent, having a husband who smokes pot and works out all the time is ground for disaster. The dinner table is a place in the home where a lot a conflict takes place. As the movie progresses the family stop candy coating situations and their true colors start to show through. By the end of the movie the wife plots to kill her husband, but when she arrives home she discovers that the neighbor beat her to it. Watch This Movie!!!!!

American Beauty is one of my favorite films. Probably the best movie that ever came out in 1999. So mysterious and dark yet beautiful! I think I've seen it over 20 times! The acting is amazing by the entire cast, especially Kevin Spacey who has been a favorite of mine for a long time. The story can sometimes be gripping but I found it to be very realistic among some dysfunctional American families out there, but in the end you see the beauty of it all. I have to buy it on DVD now! You should, too.

Kevin Spacey and Annette Benning deliver the goods. Not the least bit surprised that this film won so many accolades and Academy Awards. The entire cast and script combine to present a movie very well worth the watching. Twists and turns in the plot keep the story constantly moving - a true view into human needs. Highly recommend this film.

An Oscar-winning film, American Beauty is a wonderfully acted movie depicting the mid-life crisis of middle class working man (Kevin Spacey). The film is beautiful to watch, a haunting film in many ways ... not only is the story of the man, but also those around him. The film builds on each scene ... the wife who is angry, the husband who is sad, the teenage girl seeking his attention, a frustrated ex-military neighbor ... until it all climaxes with a gunshot ... leaving one person dead.