Movie Minx

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning
Directed by: Sam Mendes

Plot: Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation for his daughter’s attractive friend.

But is it any good?

I’ve always thought the similarly-themed Ice Storm was better than American Beauty, but this is still a very good movie. It seemed to touch a wide audience with its premise of being true to yourself. It certainly isn’t a light-heated romp and there’s a lot of pain in its story, which is well played by some of cinema’s finest actors. Some of the images, such as the naked girl in the rose petals, are also incredible striking.

But I think the film also takes itself rather seriously and deserved its mocking in Not Another Teen Movie. The guy with the video camera is creepy, and I’m sorry, but a floating plastic bag is not the Most Beautiful Thing in the World. It’s trash and will probably end up suffocating a dolphin. And if my boyfriend smiled in wonder as he studied my dead father’s bleeding head, I’d be reconsidering the relationship.

American Beauty is worth seeing, but I wouldn’t rate it as one of the greatest movies ever.

IMDb’s rating: 8.5/10
My rating: 8/10

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