"It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself."

Lester Burnham has become disillusioned with his life. Married to a woman who cares more for her real-estate job and $4,000 Italian silk sofa, he starts to change his approach to life. A crush on his rebelling daughter's best friend and a return to his pot-smoking youth heighten his enjoyment of life just as it's about to reach it's conclusion. Meanwhile, Lester's wife Carolyn takes up with the local real-estate King and daughter Jane runs off with the drug dealing odd-ball next door. Who in turn is doing his best to get away from his homophobic ex-military father.

"My name is Lester Burnham. This is my neighbourhood. This is my street. This is my life. I am 42 years old. In less than a year I will be dead. Of course I don't know that yet, and in a way, I am dead already."


skyjude review
For a film that doesn't easily fit any genre this is surely the best in each of those genre's it does cross. Coming out of nowhere this film received almost universally good reviews in 1999 and continues to create a fuss today. I was completely awestruck by the cinematography on first viewing and have come to appreciate each and every part of this movie on all viewing's since. There really is very little to fault with superb direction and awesome acting from all involved. Kevin Spacey received most of the plaudits on this film's release but all of the key cast deserve mention for this movie with Annette Bening supreme as the tragically and unwittingly hilarious Carolyn. Almost certainly the best real life study in modern movie making and similarly one of the finest modern films full stop.

Top 5 Reasons for Watching American Beauty

[5] "You are so busted"
Carolyn's decision to visit Mr Smiley's drive-though with her boyfriend Buddy , is soon regretted when Lester pops up to take the order. As Lester tells Buddy - "We've met before, but something tells me you're going to remember me this time".

[4] The acting
An Oscar win for Spacey and a "should have won an Oscar" performance from Bening are just indications of a superb acting display throughout. Each of the cast put in what are probably their career best performances.

[3] The cinematography
Possibly the Academy's easiest ever choice for 'Best Cinematography', the always brilliant Conrad L. Hall perfectly captures the mood of the film. Infact, it's flawless.

[2] The dinner scene
Lester lets Carolyn know what he really thinks in a superbly shot scene complete with smashing plates and repeated requests to pass the asparagus - "I'm tired of this Lawrence Welk shit!".

[1] Sam Mendes
A stunning debut from Sam Mendes, making the transition form stage to screen with consummate ease. Every scene, every shot, every line considered and presented perfectly. Mendes has since directed some worthy follow-up films but it's gonna take something special to ever top this debut.


American Beauty quotes

Lester Burnham: Look at me, jerking off in the shower. This will be the high point of my day, it's all downhill from here.

Lester Burnham: Well what makes you so sure she wants us to be there? Did she ask us to come?
Carolyn Burnham: Of course not. She doesn't want us to know how important this is to her. But she's been practicing her steps for weeks.
Lester Burnham: Well, I'll bet money she's going to resent it, and I'm missing the James Bond marathon on TNT.
Carolyn Burnham: Lester, this is important. I'm sensing a real distance growing between you and Jane.
Lester Burnham: "Growing?" She hates me.
Carolyn Burnham: She's just willful.
Lester Burnham: She hates you too.

Jane Burnham: Could he be any more pathetic?
Angela Hayes: I think it's sweet. And I think he and your mother have not had sex in a long time.

Angela Hayes: If people I don't even know look at me and want to fuck me, it means I really have a shot at being a model.

Lester Burnham: I figured you guys might be able to give me some pointers. I need to shape up. Fast.
Jim Olmeyer: Are you just looking to lose weight, or do you want increased strength and flexibility as well?
Lester Burnham: I want to look good naked.

Catering Boss: I'm not paying you to do, whatever it is you're doing out here.
Ricky Fitts: Fine. So don't pay me.
Catering Boss: Excuse me?
Ricky Fitts: I quit. So you don't have to pay me. Now leave me alone.
Catering Boss: Asshole.
Lester Burnham: I think you just became my personal hero.

Carolyn Burnham: Oh, I see. You think you're the only one who's sexually frustrated here?
Lester Burnham: I'm not? Well, then, come on, baby, I'm ready!

Carolyn Burnham: What are you doing?
Lester Burnham: Nothing.
Carolyn Burnham: You were masturbating!
Lester Burnham: I was not.
Carolyn Burnham: Yes you were!
Lester Burnham: Oh, alright! So shoot me, I was whacking off! That's right, I was choking the bishop, chafing the carrot, you know, saying "Hi" to my monster.

Lester Burnham: Well you know what? I've changed! And the new me whacks off when he feels horny.

Carolyn Burnham: Don't you mess with me, mister, or I'll divorce you so fast it'll make your head spin!
Lester Burnham: On what grounds? I'm not a drunk, I don't fuck other women, I've never hit you, I don't mistreat you. I don't even try to touch you since you've made it so abundantly clear how unnecessary you consider me to be. But I did support you when you got your license, and some people might think that entitles me to half of what's yours. So, turn off the light when you come to bed.

Brad Dupree (reading Lester's self written job description): "My job consists of basically masking my contempt for the assholes in charge, and, at least once a day, retiring to the men's room so I can jerk off while I fantasize about a life that doesn't so closely resemble Hell."

Lester Burnham: Then I guess I'll have to throw in a sexual harassment charge.
Brad Dupree: Against who?
Lester Burnham: Against you. Can you prove that you didn't offer to save my job if I let you blow me?
Brad Dupree: Man, you are one twisted fuck.
Lester Burnham: No, Brad, I'm just an ordinary guy who has nothing left to lose.

Ricky Fitts: It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. And this bag was, like, dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. And that's the day I knew there was this entire life behind things, and this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember, and I need to remember. Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in.

Carolyn Burnham: Your father and I were just discussing his day at work. Why don't you tell our daughter about it, honey?
Lester Burnham: Janey, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go fuck himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.
Carolyn Burnham: Your father seems to think this type of behaviour is something to be proud of.
Lester Burnham: And your mother seems to prefer I go through life like a fucking prisoner while she keeps my dick in a mason jar under the sink.
Carolyn Burnham: How dare you speak to me that way in front of her. And I marvel that you can be so contemptuous of me, on the same day that you lose your job.
Lester Burnham: Lose it? I didn't lose it. It's not like, "Whoops! Where'd my job go?". I quit. Someone pass me the asparagus.

Carolyn Burnham: Uh, whose car is that out front?
Lester Burnham: Mine. 1970 Pontiac Firebird. The car I've always wanted and now I have it. I rule!

Jane Burnham: I don't think we can be friends anymore.
Angela Hayes: You're way too uptight about sex.
Jane Burnham: Just don't fuck my dad, all right? Please?
Angela Hayes: Why not?

Col. Frank Fitts: Where's your wife?
Lester Burnham: Uh, I dunno. Probably out fucking that dorky, prince-of-real-estate asshole. And you know what? I don't care.
Col. Frank Fitts: Your wife is with another man and you don't care?
Lester Burnham: Nope. Our marriage is just for show. A commercial for how normal we are when we're anything but.

Lester Burnham: Remember those posters that said, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life?". Well, that's true with every day except one, the day that you die.

Lester Burnham: I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn't a second at all, it stretches on forever, like an ocean of time. For me, it was lying on my back at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars. And yellow leaves, from the maple trees, that lined my street. Or my grandmother's hands, and the way her skin seemed like paper. And the first time I saw my cousin Tony's brand new Firebird. And Janey. And Janey. And Carolyn. I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me, but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst. And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life. You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry, you will someday.


Production companies: DreamWorks SKG, Jinks/Cohen Company