American Beauty
A sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.
Trailer
Director
Sam Mendes
Studio
N/A
Release
01 Oct 1999
Runtime
122 min
Genres
Drama
Cast & Characters
Kevin Spacey
Annette Bening
Thora Birch
Did You Know?
Critical Assessment
American Beauty holds 8.3/10 on IMDb (1,272,515 votes), 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of 2026-07-30
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.3/10 on IMDb (1,272,515 votes), 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "American Beauty" is one of mixed opinions and nostalgia-driven responses. Many critics find the film's exploration of purpose and beauty in everyday life thought-provoking, while others criticize its depiction of teenage rebellion and Kevin Spacey's performance as creepy and unsuitable for a teenager. A few viewers also appreciate the movie's satirical take on suburban life and its impact on rewatching it years later.
Reviews
The film American Beauty to me is a film about purpose. What is your purpose in life? The film teaches that there is such great beauty in the small things in life and that sometimes you need to take a step back to allow yourself to take in the unfiltered beauty in the small thing…
tmdb70752507 · 10/10I first saw this film in my teen years. I didn't understand the plot of the movie back then but found the erotic scenes interesting. I think I was also impressed by Lesters change in attitude back then. Rewatching it in my early thirties the movie really catches me. The story of…
stempst0r · 10/10It was a ok movie. I didn't like Kevin Spacey creeping on a young teenager, but other then that it was a good movie.
Andre Gonzales · 6/10