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American Beauty is a 1999 American drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball.

Kevin Spacey stars as office worker Lester Burnham, who has a midlife crisis when he becomes infatuated with his teenage daughter's best friend, Angela ( Mena Suvari ).

Annette Bening co-stars as Lester's materialistic wife, Carolyn, and Thora Birch plays their insecure daughter, Jane ; Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper, and Allison Janney also feature.

The film has been described by academics as a satire of American middle class notions of beauty and personal satisfaction ; analysis has focused on the film's explorations of romantic and paternal love, sexuality, beauty, materialism, self-liberation, and redemption.