American Beauty (1999) - Overview - MSN Movies

American Beauty

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Overview

American Beauty
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R,2hrs 0min
Released:
September 15, 1999
Director:
Distributor:
Dream Works
Synopsis: Noted theater director Sam Mendes, who was responsible for the acclaimed 1998 revival of Cabaret and Nicole Kidman's turn in The Blue Room, made his motion picture debut with this film about the dark side of an American family, and about the nature and price of beauty in a culture obsessed with outward appearances. Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham, a man in his mid-40s going through an intense midlife crisis; he's grown cynical and is convinced that he has no reason to go on. Lester's relationship ... Full Synopsis
Critics' Reviews
Lucia Bozzola
:
A darkly comic critique of suburban stupor with a measured touch of redemption, American Beauty became the most laureled film of 1999. As written by Alan Ball and directed by theatre wunderkind/film neophyte Sam Mendes, the tale of Lester Burnham's final year of life keenly delves into the repressed desires, rampant materialism, skewed values, and gnawing insecurities lurking behind the crisply manicured ... Full Review
Featured Cast
Lester Burnham
Caroline Burnham
Jane Burnham
Ricky Fitts
Photos
©Robert Altman/Retna Ltd.©THINKFilm©New Line/courtesy Everett Collection©Ed Geller/Retna Ltd.©Robert Altman/Retna Ltd.©Stephen Lovekin/WireImage.com©Vespa/WireImage.com
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