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American Beauty

American Beauty

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1999122 minRMidcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Director
Sam Mendes
Starring
Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley

Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation with his daughter's attractive friend.

Where to watch

Where can I watch American Beauty?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists American Beauty streaming on Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about American Beauty?

American Beauty earns 12 badges, led by Top 1% of films and Best Picture winner.

Show 4 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is American Beauty worth watching?

American Beauty's Midcredits score is the 99th percentile of all films, from 2.6M ratings across 6 sources. 90% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

99th percentile

Better received than 99% of films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)97th
Approval (how many liked it)98th

81 /100

97th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Drama98th percentile among 1990s

Critics 84 · Audience 81

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

90% liked it

98th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Drama98th percentile among 1990s
90% rated it 7–1010% rated it 1–6

Awards

5 Oscars won · 3 Oscar noms · 62 wins / 35 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Leading Role
  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Cinematography

99th percentile

2.6M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$15M
Opening weekend$862K
Domestic gross$130M
Worldwide gross$356M

Returned 23.8× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps see American Beauty as a stylish, well-acted critique of suburban life, but disagree on whether its substance matches its ambition.

Fans praised

  • thought-provoking deconstruction of the suburban American dream
  • brilliant ensemble acting, especially Spacey and Bening
  • visually striking, with clever symbolism and a haunting score

Detractors panned

  • pretentious, cliché-ridden script with stereotypical characters
  • incoherent tone—neither funny nor dramatic enough
  • surface-level satire that condescends to its audience

What stands out

ActingDivisive90

Spacey and Bening sublime, supporting cast strong

Cinematography85

striking visuals, symbolic rose petals, superior framing

Emotional impactDivisive75

life-changing, thought-provoking, moving

AtmosphereDivisive75

evocative suburban malaise vs. condescending setting

CharactersDivisive65

deeply relatable to some, clichéd stereotypes to others

DialogueDivisive65

witty and profound vs. painfully bad teen speak

Plot and storyDivisive60

intelligent interweaving vs. contrived and aimless

OriginalityDivisive50

fresh take on suburbia vs. derivative of other films

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is American Beauty like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark comedy: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to laugh at things you probably shouldn't.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark comedy.

Moods
BittersweetTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
The answer rests on this: Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsMelodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film is played with a satirical edge, but its drama is sincere and emotionally direct.
The rideThe film oscillates between dark comedy and emotional rawness, building to a poignant and tragic climax that lingers.
StructureThe film is bookended by Lester's post-death narration, framing a largely linear three-act recounting of his final months.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayA haunting blend of liberation and tragedy that leaves you reflecting on beauty and loss.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% (this title) · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Liberation: Breaking free of a confining life (Room).

13% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeLester Burnham breaks free from a stifling suburban life, pursuing personal freedom and self-discovery, which aligns with the liberation subtype of rebirth.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the crisis of selfhood among suburban characters trapped by roles they never chose, and their desperate attempts to feel alive.
StanceThe film interrogates the search for identity and freedom under the weight of suburban expectations, questioning whether liberation is possible or wise.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticSuburbanRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Thomas Newman
SettingAn upscale suburban neighborhood in an unnamed American city, circa 1999.
MusicNewman's score uses minimal piano and percussion to create a fragile, wistful atmosphere that undercuts the satire.

Content guide

Is American Beauty okay for kids?

R

American Beauty is rated R: “Rated R for strong sexuality, language, violence and drug content” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (63/100), sexual content at intense (78/100), language at severe (83/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (68/100) and frightening material at intense (60/100). Overall it is heavier than 78% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 26 other countries
  • UK18
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland18
  • New ZealandR16
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil18
  • Argentina+16
  • Belgium18
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Greece16
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyVM14
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/16
  • ROAP
  • Russia16+
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 87% of all filmsHeavier than 78% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 41%
Sex & Nudity
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 96%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 78%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 86%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: language, sexual content, drug and alcohol content, violence, and frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does American Beauty have?

MovieCove's classifier found 6 depicted content warnings in American Beauty: Child abuse (severe), Sexual harassment or grooming (severe), Sexual violence (severe), Domestic violence (moderate), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

SevereChild abuseSexual harassment or groomingSexual violence
ModerateDomestic violence

Cast and crew

Who is in American Beauty?

Cast

8 award-winning performances in the cast.

Kevin Spacey
as Lester Burnham
Oscar win: Academy Award — Best Actor in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Annette Bening
as Carolyn Burnham
BAFTA win: BAFTA Award — Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Thora Birch
as Jane Burnham
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Wes Bentley
as Ricky Fitts
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture
Mena Suvari
as Angela Hayes
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture
Peter Gallagher
as Buddy Kane
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture
Allison Janney
as Barbara Fitts
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture
Chris Cooper
as Colonel Fitts
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture
Scott Bakula
as Jim Olmeyer
Sam Robards
as Jim Berkley

Crew

More like this

What are movies like American Beauty?

Movies like American Beauty include The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009), Uncle Frank (2020) and Meet Bill (2007). Of the 12 closest matches, half are coming-of-age stories, and several are stories about teenagers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its subject: identity. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with American Beauty?

3.2K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dark comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.