Sam Mendes (SKYFALL) directed this searing and searching American suburban black comedy, focusing on the Burnhams, Lester (Kevin Spacey), wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) and daughter Jane (Thora Birch). Lester is unhappy in both work and home life, heightened by his sudden unhealthy attraction to Jane’s best school friend, Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari, AMERICAN PIE).
Meanwhile, new next door neighbours the Fitts, the Colonel (Chris Cooper) Barbara (Allison Janney, recent Oscar Winner for I, TONYA) and son Ricky (Wes Bentley) are trying to adapt to their new street. Bentley’s son takes more than a passing interest in Jane as everyone tries to find an American ‘Beauty’ within themselves.
Winner of both the BAFTA and Oscar for Best Picture in its’ calendar year, AMERICAN BEAUTY soars high.