I remember when I was really young and always seen the cover of this movie at Blockbuster.

Of course, looking at the cover I would be way too young to watch it, but it always intrigued me.

Being an adult now, I think it's a film that I would be able to resonate with now.

This was my first time watching this film and I think despite it being a product of its time coming out at the turn of the millennium in 1999.

In my opinion, its themes and topics remain relevant, uncovering the dark underbelly of American life and how families on the surface try to put on a perfect facade to their lives.

The cast were all perfect in my opinion, they all felt like believable and dysfunctional families. Out of the whole cast Annette Bening really stood out.

Multiple scenes were stunning to watch especially with the rose petals covering the ceiling with the character Angela.

The symbolism of the color red showing up in multiple frames, over all it was beautifully shot and told a compelling story.

I think it's strange how much criticism American Beauty receives. Many people focus on Kevin Spacey's outdated character portrayal, but I still find the movie exceptional overall. Despite its flaws, the film is an entertaining yet thought-provoking critique of middle-class values. It's a blend of humor, moving scenes, and subtle criticisms of societal issues. Suburbia is portrayed as a place where people exist but don't truly live, consumed by materialism instead of deeper values. The movie highlights the emptiness within the American middle class and the obsession with superficial beauty, among other issues.

The protagonist, Lester Burnham, is portrayed as a pathetic loser going through a midlife crisis. He becomes involved in a lustful subplot involving a minor, but this serves as part of his transformative journey. He quits his job, works out, and asserts himself, finding freedom and happiness. The film's final monologue on death and memories is a beautiful sequence, highlighting Lester's realization of the value of life, even if it's tainted by years of shallowness. Despite his flaws, Lester recognizes the significance of love and emotions beneath layers of materialism and cynicism.

Overall, American Beauty is a well-written and meaningful piece of cinema that showcases the complexities of life and love amid societal shallowness. Its humor, pacing, and score make it an entertaining watch while still delivering a poignant message.

I just decided to watch this old movie for the first time, since I heard it was a classic. This is one of the few movies where I had water in my eyes. The story was very powerful, the drama was powerful, everything was powerful. "There's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can't take it." I do not this see anything wrong with it, it was a simply a great movie to watch. Highly recommend it.