KINORAFIELD GUIDE TO FILM
How we tag
1999 · 122 min · R

American Beauty

Directed by Sam Mendes · Drama

American Beauty (1999) is a Drama film, directed by Sam Mendes set during the 1990s. It runs 122 minutes and is rated R.

A neo noir, with a darkly comic and melancholic tone. Themes of identity, consumerism / capitalism, and obsession play out through unreliable narrator.

Composer
Thomas Newman
Cinematography
Conrad Hall
Cast
Kevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchWes BentleyMena SuvariPeter GallagherAllison JanneyChris Cooper

The world of this film

Setting

Setting
Suburban
When
1990s

Premise & themes

Premise
Neo Noir
Themes
IdentityConsumerism / CapitalismObsession
Structure
Unreliable Narrator
Tone
Darkly ComicMelancholic

Shape

Protagonist
Solo LeadEnsembleAntihero
Pacing
Measured
Dialogue
Balanced
Based on
Pure Fiction

More like this

  • 2019

    1917

    France — 1910s
    Rural · Wilderness · Undergrounddir. Sam Mendes
  • 2002

    25th Hour

    New York City — 2000s
    Urbandir. Spike Lee
  • 1971

    A Clockwork Orange

    London — Near Future
    Urbandir. Stanley Kubrick
  • 1950

    All About Eve

    New York City — 1940s · 1950s
    Urbandir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
  • 1976

    All the President's Men

    Washington DC — 1970s
    Urbandir. Alan J. Pakula
  • 2000

    Amores Perros

    Mexico City — 2000s
    Urbandir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu