# American Beauty (1999)

### reviewed by
Michael Dequina

It is not so much for that reason that _American_Beauty_ defies conventional categorization than the manner in which it blends disparate elements; that is, incredibly seamlessly. Credit Ball and especially Mendes, who knows not to simply strike the major note of each given scene but also touch on the undertones that will take prominence in others. Even in the more outrageous, laugh-inducing moments, a darker, more serious undercurrent can always be felt. Part of this has to do with an ominous piece of information that Lester divulges in voiceover in the film's opening minutes: "In less than a year, I will be dead."

The deft meshing of the comic and the tragic is best exemplified by the characters. This group of people is far from the most likable bunch one can encounter; in fact, often they are flat-out unlikable, and much of the film's humor is derived from that point. But for all their comic value, the characters aren't caricatures; they're painfully human. Underneath their frequently selfish actions lies their shared motivation: a grave emotional desperation. That deeper dimension comes through in every one of the actors' performances; even the younger members of the cast hold an impressively firm grasp of their characters' complexities. The most difficult acting job, of course, belongs to Spacey, whose extraordinary performance not only makes Lester's newly rebellious life course wickedly hilarious, but heartbreakingly sad as well.

_American_Beauty_ has been described as both a comedy and a drama, but neither one is the most fitting description. In retrospect, the term that springs to mind is mystery, but not necessarily because of the questions surrounding Lester's eventual demise, though they do figure prominently. The film's central mystery is that of the meaning of its title. The answer that is eventually arrived at may not be all that surprising, and perhaps a bit trite for some. But what comes as something of a shock is how profound and exhilarating the experience of its discovery is--not so much for any of the film's characters, but for the audience. (opens September 15)

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