American Beauty was truly a great film, and one of the first times I've actually agreed with the Academy on the Oscar awards. I actually hadn't heard a lot of the hype surrounding it, because I saw it before the awards. A friend of mine just said American Beauty is great. Go see it! . I can say that it's definitely one of my favorites. You go through such a wide range of emotions from watching this film. There are many comedic parts to laugh at, and some classic lines (like the part where Lester writes about what he does at work). There are also parts where you feel rage or anger (how Ricky is treated by his dad, how shallow Angela seems to be, how much of a bitch Carol can be). It may be a bit of an over dramatization of how life in the suburbs can be, but it's not a far stretch and I really think it shows how bad it can be. People have some serious problems and try to cover it up with flowers, white picket fences, and other stuff . This makes me think of Andrea Yates, the woman who drowned her 5 children. The ending is great too. It's certainly gruesome, but it's not a complete surprise, due to the information Lester gives you in the beginning, and the mood of the story is actually one of hope, not of demise. Kevin Spacey is a brilliant actor...definitely my favorite. Annette Benning also does a superb job...she's so great at playing the obnoxious role of Carol. The other actors of the film did great in their roles as well, and I can't think of anyone who would have played them better. This movie is not just a drama...it's a drama, comedy, and suspense film. The film is never boring, and for days afterward I was still thinking about parts of the movie, and I still have discussions about it with my friends. It's such a thought provoking movie.