Grade:  A

Director:  Sam Mendes		Released:  September 1999
Writer:  Alan Ball		MPAA Rating:  R
Players:  Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Mena Suvari, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper		Running time:  122 minutes

Ratings System

American Beauty is one of those films that gets better the more times you see it.  To be honest, the first time I saw it I thought it was very good, but since then I've come to think of it as one of the best movies of the last decade.

It's a great ensemble film, with Bening and Spacey leading the way.  In my book, it's a shame that Bening didn't win the Oscar.  She embodies a character who is only driven by success, and measures her personal satisfaction with life based on that success.  She represents the materialism of America, and she is a big part of what Spacey's character is rebelling against.

- crocoPuffs