American Beauty [Blu-ray] [1999] [Region Free]

This is easily one of the best movies ever made and probably one of the last. This film came out in 1999 and is easily the best movie from the 90s but I would also put it up there with classics from the rest of the early to mid 20th century. No film in the 2000s has compared to this. There really is no detailed in-depth story behind this film as a whole because it follows different people throughout their lives so it has multiple synopsis'. All I can say is that it is about life. Life in general. The film focuses on people and their day to day lives. It features people who feel trapped in their own lives. A man estranged from reality and in doubt. A materialistic mother and wife. A self conscious daughter. A fake and vain friend. A boy who sees the world differently to everyone else. In some way or another there is one character that the audience can relate to or can see relations to people they know in real life. Not only does this film have amazing cinematography and a brilliantly written script, but the performances from all of the cast are excellent. Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening give an astonishing performance as the average dysfunctional marriage both worthy of their Oscar nominations for this film (Kevin winning his). The younger actors are also great Thora Birch, Wes Bentley and Mena Suvari all give accurate perspectives of different types of typical teenagers. In all, the cast is perfect. In conclusion American Beauty is well worth watching. It is one of those films that you will watch and wish you could watch all over again not knowing what happens. I wish more movies were like this.

This film released was a living contraddiction: very well received, oscar-winning, a big box office success, but people did not realized the real beauty of it (and I guess most critics either).In fact the real value of the film is not in its most apparent and visible elements: it is not in the father-son friction, or in the middle-aged man crisis, or in the usual clichè of the fascinatin young guy who feels different, or in some "poetical" and "lyrical" moments (the flying bag, the bed of roses, etc...).The beauty of this film is in the sense of solitude, death, emptyness and stiffness conveyed by acting, photography, direction and where maybe only music helps feel something still alive and metaphysical laying underneath.Spacey and Benning are fabulous and yes, the voice over sounds sometimes clichè and not as deep as it means to be but all in all this is a very bold film because it forces us to slow down and go with this unusual flow, considering it is mainly a mainstream film with independent cinema elements (or maybe is an independent film that just adopted a mainstream look to get through to the audience and vehicle an unusual (at least for american audience) point of view about life

I am neither inclined nor qualified to do a film review, but I can say that the audio and video quality is great (especially on Blu-Ray) as is the acting from the entire cast.As an Indian, I had great fun laughing at the "antics" of the Americans. As a human being acutely aware of my own shortcomings and peculiarities, I identified with the characters and their individual stories in the movie and lived their lives vicariously.In my opinion there is not a poor shot or a loose end in the film. The tying together of all the sub-plots is superb. I have always believed that the director makes or breaks a movie - so hats off to Sam Mendes. American Beauty is as far away from "formula films" as possible but he manages to pull it off with elan.The movie stays with you long after it is over. You will be left wondering about the reactions and the future fates of the various people around Lester Burnham.I have seen this film before and I can say that I will watch it again in future.

Peeking through the cracked veneer of suburban America, and all is not well. This was easily to be 1999's best movie. The debut feature from director Sam Mendes, still stands firmly as one of his greatest achievements, it was also to bring him an immediate oscar for best director. Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening are the driving forces in a movie that was also to take the crown for best picture. Spacey' s character 'Lester Burnham', and his midlife crisis are central to the plot. It's a kind of drama of suburban dysfunction, with an added stirring of Noir and Lolita. Thomas Newman music is also hauntingly beautiful.

Kevin Spacey gives an Oscar winning performance as a suburban husband going though a mid life crisis. Lester (Spacey) is an ad journalist with a teenage daughter who hates him and a career wife who no longer sees him. With the arrival of the Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley) and his family next door, Lester starts to strip away his conservative lifestyle and reconnect with the joys of his past, while lusting after his daughters best friend. As Lester become more free he begins to learn that his life as it was, was not as bad as he first thought.

In one year Lester Burnham (Spacey) will be dead. See his final year unfold as he finally finds himself and breaks out of his mundane lifestyle, ruining his marriage and becoming a man who lives in the moment rather than living with regrets.See the lives of his neighbourhood evolve around him and ultimately answer the question of who killed Lester Burnham.A superb commentary of middle class American life with plenty of drama, comedy and thrilling moments that will have you hooked to the screen.

It's all been said really. I saw the movie back in the day, bought the DVD, bought the soundtrack album and now i've purchased the blu ray version.I adore this film. It has everything. Buy it....watch it.....let it occupy your thoughts for a few days. It may lead you to make some positive changes in your life before it's too late.

Great product as described. highly recommend