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American Beauty
On a typical suburban street in a typical suburban town, there is an ordinary family living the American dream. But look closer. Lester Burnham's wife, Carolyn, regards him with contempt, his daughter, Jane, thinks he's a loser, and his boss is positioning him for the ax.
Captivated by Jane's sultry high school friend Angela, Lester decides to make a few changes in his mere existence—changes that are less mid-life crisis than a life reclaimed. The freer he gets, the happier he gets, which is even more maddening to his wife and daughter. Complicating matters, Lester finds an unexpected ally in Ricky, the teenage son of the new next-door neighbors, who sees life through a camera lens that has lately focused on Jane Burnham.
In pursuit of his new vision of the American dream, Lester is about to learn that the ultimate freedom comes at the ultimate price.
The 1999 winner of five Academy Awards®, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, American Beauty boasts an accomplished cast led by two-time Academy Award® Best Actor winner Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects) and Oscar® nominee Annette Bening (The Grifters). The ensemble cast also includes Thora Birch (Ghost World), Wes Bentley (The Claim), Mena Suvari (American Pie), Peter Gallagher (Mr. Deeds), Allison Janney (NBC's The West Wing), Scott Bakula (NBC's Quantum Leap), Sam Robards (A.I.: Artificial Intelligence), and Chris Cooper (Adaptation).
American Beauty marks the feature film directorial debut of award-winning theater director Sam Mendes (The Blue Room, Cabaret). The film is produced by Dan Jinks (Nothing to Lose) and Bruce Cohen (The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas) from an original screenplay by Alan Ball (HBO's Six Feet Under). Stan Wlodkowski (One Hour Photo) and Alan Ball are the co-producers.
Captivated by Jane's sultry high school friend Angela, Lester decides to make a few changes in his mere existence—changes that are less mid-life crisis than a life reclaimed. The freer he gets, the happier he gets, which is even more maddening to his wife and daughter. Complicating matters, Lester finds an unexpected ally in Ricky, the teenage son of the new next-door neighbors, who sees life through a camera lens that has lately focused on Jane Burnham.
In pursuit of his new vision of the American dream, Lester is about to learn that the ultimate freedom comes at the ultimate price.
The 1999 winner of five Academy Awards®, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, American Beauty boasts an accomplished cast led by two-time Academy Award® Best Actor winner Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects) and Oscar® nominee Annette Bening (The Grifters). The ensemble cast also includes Thora Birch (Ghost World), Wes Bentley (The Claim), Mena Suvari (American Pie), Peter Gallagher (Mr. Deeds), Allison Janney (NBC's The West Wing), Scott Bakula (NBC's Quantum Leap), Sam Robards (A.I.: Artificial Intelligence), and Chris Cooper (Adaptation).
American Beauty marks the feature film directorial debut of award-winning theater director Sam Mendes (The Blue Room, Cabaret). The film is produced by Dan Jinks (Nothing to Lose) and Bruce Cohen (The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas) from an original screenplay by Alan Ball (HBO's Six Feet Under). Stan Wlodkowski (One Hour Photo) and Alan Ball are the co-producers.
153 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Alan Ball
87 books54 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Alan Ball is an Academy Award-winning screenwriter, director, producer and occasional actor, who is best known for writing the screenplay for the Oscar-winning film American Beauty, and for creating the HBO original drama series Six Feet Under.
Alan Ball is an Academy Award-winning screenwriter, director, producer and occasional actor, who is best known for writing the screenplay for the Oscar-winning film American Beauty, and for creating the HBO original drama series Six Feet Under.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
August 20, 2016
Full disclosure: I never had plans of reading this; I found this "book" in the library quite by accident, and thought "why the hell not?". I say "book" because it is not a book per se, but the filming script for the movie. A movie which I absolutely adored. I am, by nature, a rather cynical person, so satirical, dark humour appeals to me deeply.
The director of the movie, Sam Mendes called it a 'kaleidoscopic journey through the American suburbia'. I'm not American, and I don't know how the quintessential American suburbia functions. What I do know, is that the script, and by extension, the movie, depicts dysfunctionality in a realistic and rather efficient manner. Before Walter White, there was Lester Burnham, a regular Joe going through a mid-life crisis. He's as average as it gets, as referenced by his beige cubicle which acts as an allegory to his life. His wife resents him, and his daughter hates him. "We used to be happy" , he reminisces at one point, while looking at a photo of his family during happier days. His daughter, Jane is withdrawn, angsty, and insecure. Ashamed of her parents, especially her father. Carolyn, his wife, is ambitious, and somewhere down the line, let her ambition control other aspects of her life, turning into a bitter, self-loathing woman who constantly berates herself and slaps herself. There's the boy next door Ricky, who falls in love with Jane. Ricky lives with his controlling father and emotionally frail mother. Ricky, who sees beauty in everything,
I think in the end, that's what one gets from the movie; that there is beauty in everything. There is beauty in life, and in death.
The director of the movie, Sam Mendes called it a 'kaleidoscopic journey through the American suburbia'. I'm not American, and I don't know how the quintessential American suburbia functions. What I do know, is that the script, and by extension, the movie, depicts dysfunctionality in a realistic and rather efficient manner. Before Walter White, there was Lester Burnham, a regular Joe going through a mid-life crisis. He's as average as it gets, as referenced by his beige cubicle which acts as an allegory to his life. His wife resents him, and his daughter hates him. "We used to be happy" , he reminisces at one point, while looking at a photo of his family during happier days. His daughter, Jane is withdrawn, angsty, and insecure. Ashamed of her parents, especially her father. Carolyn, his wife, is ambitious, and somewhere down the line, let her ambition control other aspects of her life, turning into a bitter, self-loathing woman who constantly berates herself and slaps herself. There's the boy next door Ricky, who falls in love with Jane. Ricky lives with his controlling father and emotionally frail mother. Ricky, who sees beauty in everything,
I think in the end, that's what one gets from the movie; that there is beauty in everything. There is beauty in life, and in death.
November 18, 2015
First off, this is the script of the actual movie, not the script Ball originally wrote. Both Ball, in his afterward, and director Sam Mendes in his introduction, discuss how the filming and editing process modified the story. Mendes talks about how, reading the screenplay on an airplane he read it back to back, called his agent to say he wanted to make the movie, read it again—and then read it again. I understand how he feels. Although I saw the movie first (when it came out), reading the screenplay now, I know what Mendes means. Even with the choppiness and thinness of the screenplay format—with none of what film fills in regarding character and setting—this screenplay has vibrancy and edge that you can’t shake off. The story demands attention. That said, it’s easy to see what a novel adds that the screenplay lacks: the characters, despite their vivid moments are thin, archetypes, that we don’t know what drives them (except archetypically); and the setting and descriptions are flat. I wonder if this could have been a good novel, or is it a story uniquely adapted for film? Would a novel tell too much? Dispel the mystery?
Anyway, technically, this is just brilliant writing. Great character arcs, great tension, great emotional scenes, and great resolutions. The humor is spare, but comes at the darkest moments. The plot is punctuated with humor and anger. The economy with which scenes are entered and exit is marvelous—late in and early out, the dictum of film. There are a few places where the director’s sense of scene seems evident, but without seeing Ball’s original script it’s hard to say. There are definite flows of action that require a strong sense of the camera—which is discouraged in the writing of screenplays (don’t tell the camera what to do). The advice is to let the director direct the camera; the writer’s job is characters and story. So, while this is the screenplay of the completed film, it doesn’t show what Ball originally wrote. In any event, there is plenty to learn from in this screenplay.
Anyway, technically, this is just brilliant writing. Great character arcs, great tension, great emotional scenes, and great resolutions. The humor is spare, but comes at the darkest moments. The plot is punctuated with humor and anger. The economy with which scenes are entered and exit is marvelous—late in and early out, the dictum of film. There are a few places where the director’s sense of scene seems evident, but without seeing Ball’s original script it’s hard to say. There are definite flows of action that require a strong sense of the camera—which is discouraged in the writing of screenplays (don’t tell the camera what to do). The advice is to let the director direct the camera; the writer’s job is characters and story. So, while this is the screenplay of the completed film, it doesn’t show what Ball originally wrote. In any event, there is plenty to learn from in this screenplay.
January 23, 2021
This script made me want to go to film school and become a screenwriter... It never happened, but I still remember the way I felt reading it and watching the movie for the first time over a decade ago... spectacular.
December 14, 2018
No finish date, because I will always revisit this masterpiece of a movie which is so dear to my heart.....
🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹
Lester Burnham:
I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me, but it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once and it's too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst. And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it. And then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life. You have no idea what I'm talking about I'm sure, but don't worry, you will someday.
🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹
Lester Burnham:
I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me, but it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once and it's too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst. And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it. And then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life. You have no idea what I'm talking about I'm sure, but don't worry, you will someday.
March 7, 2024
I like the film even more after reading the screenplay
February 27, 2018
AMERICAN BEAUTY (2 hours 2 minutes)
A plastic bag outside of the World Trade Center helped inspire what would become the basis of Alan Ball’s American Beauty.
Bold is used for “On VIDEO” and scene settings. Scene settings are also underlined.
Words in dialogue and descriptions are underlined for emphasis.
IMPORTANT OBJECTS are CAPITALIZED.
Longer scenes are CONTINUED: (2) at the top of the page and (CONTINUED) on the bottom right of the page.
Specific filming directions include: FLYING, DESCENDING SLOWLY, OVERHEAD, ANGLE, CLOSE, LESTER’S POV:, WE FOLLOW HER, CAMERA JOKES, DIGICAM, SLOW DOWN, INTERCUT, SLOWS DOWN, EXTREME CLOSE UP, SMASH CUT TO:, CLOSE, ANGLE ON
Presented chronologically are unique words and phrases used throughout the entirety of the script (apologies if some are repeats):
Dark, intense eyes, wanders for a beat, deadpan, thrusts, chastises, overly friendly, sheepishly, beleaguered, dapper, perfunctorily, (blurts), (frank), (heavy disdain), (uncomfortable), smart business suit, ugly, oppressive, tasteless, doggedly, thirtyish, skeptical, fifties, fortyish, brief, perky, spellbound, blatantly erotic edge, both innocent and knowing, (warming), mesmerized, mechanically, June Cleaver-ish way, raffia, (out of the blue), stand in clumps, (forced gaiety), still lost in fantasy, contentedly, silhouetted, enraptured, (brusque), ominous gray clouds, (incredulous), glassy-eyed, transfixed, unnerved, shyly
Other examples of unique descriptive language include:
“He doesn’t seem too thrilled at the prospect of a new day.” (2)
“Now she looks at him as if he’s lost his mind.” (9)
“Beneath his zen-like tranquility lurks something wounded… and dangerous.” (11)
“It’s startling how happy they look.” (11)
“staccato SOBS that seemingly escape her will” (14)
“At sixteen, Angela is strikingly beautiful; with perfect even features, blonde hair and a nubile young body, she’s the archetypal American dream girl.” (15)
“They’re well-rehearsed, but too young to carry off the ambitious Vegas routine they’re attempting.” (16)
“His POV: Angela, naked, FLOATS above us as a deluge of ROSE PETALS falls around her. Her hair fans out around her head GLOWS with a subtle, burnished light.” (19)
“She looks down at us with a smile that is all things…” (19)
“She smiles her most winning smile at him.” (30)
“This situation is loaded and they both know it.” (32)
“The garage is in the process of becoming Lester’s sanctuary.” (48)
“On VIDEO: We zoom toward her as she takes off her bra clumsily. She’s obviously embarrassed, but she’s gone this far and there’s no turning back. She stands there with her breasts exposed, trying to look defiant, but she’s achingly vulnerable…” (64)
“Her face has lost its usual resolute determination; she’s actually enjoying herself spontaneously, and the lack of her usual self-consciousness allows us to see just how beautiful she is.” (67)
“The room, too, seems changed: sloppier, more lived in.” (67)
“Lester starts unbuttoning Angela’s blouse. She seems disconnected from what’s happened. Lester pulls her blouse open, exposing her breasts.” (93)
“His POV: Angela lies beneath us, embarrassed and vulnerable. This is not the mythically carnal creature of Lester’s fantasies; this is a nervous child.” (93)
“Ghostly LEAVES FLUTTER slowly toward pavement.” (98)
A plastic bag outside of the World Trade Center helped inspire what would become the basis of Alan Ball’s American Beauty.
Bold is used for “On VIDEO” and scene settings. Scene settings are also underlined.
Words in dialogue and descriptions are underlined for emphasis.
IMPORTANT OBJECTS are CAPITALIZED.
Longer scenes are CONTINUED: (2) at the top of the page and (CONTINUED) on the bottom right of the page.
Specific filming directions include: FLYING, DESCENDING SLOWLY, OVERHEAD, ANGLE, CLOSE, LESTER’S POV:, WE FOLLOW HER, CAMERA JOKES, DIGICAM, SLOW DOWN, INTERCUT, SLOWS DOWN, EXTREME CLOSE UP, SMASH CUT TO:, CLOSE, ANGLE ON
Presented chronologically are unique words and phrases used throughout the entirety of the script (apologies if some are repeats):
Dark, intense eyes, wanders for a beat, deadpan, thrusts, chastises, overly friendly, sheepishly, beleaguered, dapper, perfunctorily, (blurts), (frank), (heavy disdain), (uncomfortable), smart business suit, ugly, oppressive, tasteless, doggedly, thirtyish, skeptical, fifties, fortyish, brief, perky, spellbound, blatantly erotic edge, both innocent and knowing, (warming), mesmerized, mechanically, June Cleaver-ish way, raffia, (out of the blue), stand in clumps, (forced gaiety), still lost in fantasy, contentedly, silhouetted, enraptured, (brusque), ominous gray clouds, (incredulous), glassy-eyed, transfixed, unnerved, shyly
Other examples of unique descriptive language include:
“He doesn’t seem too thrilled at the prospect of a new day.” (2)
“Now she looks at him as if he’s lost his mind.” (9)
“Beneath his zen-like tranquility lurks something wounded… and dangerous.” (11)
“It’s startling how happy they look.” (11)
“staccato SOBS that seemingly escape her will” (14)
“At sixteen, Angela is strikingly beautiful; with perfect even features, blonde hair and a nubile young body, she’s the archetypal American dream girl.” (15)
“They’re well-rehearsed, but too young to carry off the ambitious Vegas routine they’re attempting.” (16)
“His POV: Angela, naked, FLOATS above us as a deluge of ROSE PETALS falls around her. Her hair fans out around her head GLOWS with a subtle, burnished light.” (19)
“She looks down at us with a smile that is all things…” (19)
“She smiles her most winning smile at him.” (30)
“This situation is loaded and they both know it.” (32)
“The garage is in the process of becoming Lester’s sanctuary.” (48)
“On VIDEO: We zoom toward her as she takes off her bra clumsily. She’s obviously embarrassed, but she’s gone this far and there’s no turning back. She stands there with her breasts exposed, trying to look defiant, but she’s achingly vulnerable…” (64)
“Her face has lost its usual resolute determination; she’s actually enjoying herself spontaneously, and the lack of her usual self-consciousness allows us to see just how beautiful she is.” (67)
“The room, too, seems changed: sloppier, more lived in.” (67)
“Lester starts unbuttoning Angela’s blouse. She seems disconnected from what’s happened. Lester pulls her blouse open, exposing her breasts.” (93)
“His POV: Angela lies beneath us, embarrassed and vulnerable. This is not the mythically carnal creature of Lester’s fantasies; this is a nervous child.” (93)
“Ghostly LEAVES FLUTTER slowly toward pavement.” (98)
March 27, 2019
اگزیستانسیالیسم در "زیبای آمریکایی"
لستر برنام مردی میان سال است که زندگی اش، زندگی متداول طبقه متوسط به بالا در حومه شهر است. یک شغل شرکتی، همسری شاغل و یک فرزند دختر. لستر با هر سه ی این ها بیگانه است. و از چیزهایی که اصولا باید در زندگی برایش با معنا باشند هیچ رضایتی ندارد. او از تعهدات سرباز میزند و کاملا عامدانه زندگی ای را در پیش میگیرد که برخلاف انتظارات آدم های پیرامونش است و عواقب وحشتناکی برای او به دنبال دارد. آینده ای نامطمئن از نظر اقتصادی تا قتل نهایی او. قتلی که به نظر میرس��د همه ی شخصیت های فیلم انگیزه ای برای آن داشته باشند. با این همه تحول شخصیت او نشاط آور و مهیج است. این فیلم اذعان داشت ایفای نقش اجتماعی برای برخی آدم ها کاری سبک مایه است و با این حال نشان دادن اینکه شخص مورد نظر مقید به آن ها نیست و تغییر به سمت زندگی امکان پذیر است، بازنمایی ای از روح آزاد در جهان امروز را نشان میدهد. شخصیت لستر از آن رو شگفت انگیز است که او از جهات مختلفی شبیه ما یا شبیه آدم هایی است که می شناسیم. ما میدانیم که برای آدم ها گیر افتادن در یک زندگی بی معنا و اعتراض به توقعات اجتماعی چقدر محتمل است. بنابراین میتوانیم ببینیم که آزادی یک گزینه واقعی برای آدکیان در چنین موقعیت هایی است. اما به غیر از آزادی و اصالت، رهانیدن اشخاص از رسوم اجتماعی و اعطای قدرت انتخال به آن ها همیشه پایان خوشی برایشان ندارد. این هم وجه دیگر از آزادی است که اگزیستانسیالیسم و اثر زمینه مشترکی در آن یافته اند. آثاری نظیر "سکوت بره ها" شخصیت هایی را به تصویر میکشند که هنجارهای اجتماعی آن ها را مقید و محدود نمی کند، با این حال بدترین جنایت کاران هستند. این هم یکی از نتایج تعبیر اگزیستانسیالیستی آزادی است، نتیجه ای که باید آن را پذیرفت. در واقع نویسندگان اگزیستانسیالیست از داستایفسکی در "جنایت و مکافات" گرفته تا کامو در "بیگانه" به بررسی چنین شخصیت هایی پرداخته اند. این واقعیت که آزادی هم قهرمان و هم ضد قهرمان میتواند پرورش دهد از ایرادهای همیشگی به ندای آزادی اگزیستانسیالیسم بوده است.
لستر برنام مردی میان سال است که زندگی اش، زندگی متداول طبقه متوسط به بالا در حومه شهر است. یک شغل شرکتی، همسری شاغل و یک فرزند دختر. لستر با هر سه ی این ها بیگانه است. و از چیزهایی که اصولا باید در زندگی برایش با معنا باشند هیچ رضایتی ندارد. او از تعهدات سرباز میزند و کاملا عامدانه زندگی ای را در پیش میگیرد که برخلاف انتظارات آدم های پیرامونش است و عواقب وحشتناکی برای او به دنبال دارد. آینده ای نامطمئن از نظر اقتصادی تا قتل نهایی او. قتلی که به نظر میرس��د همه ی شخصیت های فیلم انگیزه ای برای آن داشته باشند. با این همه تحول شخصیت او نشاط آور و مهیج است. این فیلم اذعان داشت ایفای نقش اجتماعی برای برخی آدم ها کاری سبک مایه است و با این حال نشان دادن اینکه شخص مورد نظر مقید به آن ها نیست و تغییر به سمت زندگی امکان پذیر است، بازنمایی ای از روح آزاد در جهان امروز را نشان میدهد. شخصیت لستر از آن رو شگفت انگیز است که او از جهات مختلفی شبیه ما یا شبیه آدم هایی است که می شناسیم. ما میدانیم که برای آدم ها گیر افتادن در یک زندگی بی معنا و اعتراض به توقعات اجتماعی چقدر محتمل است. بنابراین میتوانیم ببینیم که آزادی یک گزینه واقعی برای آدکیان در چنین موقعیت هایی است. اما به غیر از آزادی و اصالت، رهانیدن اشخاص از رسوم اجتماعی و اعطای قدرت انتخال به آن ها همیشه پایان خوشی برایشان ندارد. این هم وجه دیگر از آزادی است که اگزیستانسیالیسم و اثر زمینه مشترکی در آن یافته اند. آثاری نظیر "سکوت بره ها" شخصیت هایی را به تصویر میکشند که هنجارهای اجتماعی آن ها را مقید و محدود نمی کند، با این حال بدترین جنایت کاران هستند. این هم یکی از نتایج تعبیر اگزیستانسیالیستی آزادی است، نتیجه ای که باید آن را پذیرفت. در واقع نویسندگان اگزیستانسیالیست از داستایفسکی در "جنایت و مکافات" گرفته تا کامو در "بیگانه" به بررسی چنین شخصیت هایی پرداخته اند. این واقعیت که آزادی هم قهرمان و هم ضد قهرمان میتواند پرورش دهد از ایرادهای همیشگی به ندای آزادی اگزیستانسیالیسم بوده است.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2021
Wow so this sucked. Let's talk about all the ways it sucked:
- I don't care that lester is a "loser", he's still the main character that we are supposed to at least sympathize with
- apparently filming girls without their permission is NOT CREEPY if you are a "deep" and "real" kinda guy, BRO angela was right, Ricky is fucking creepy
- Ricky is such a write-in character for the stupid asshole that wrote this script. FUCK YOU ALAN YOU HAVE A SMALL DICK
- Angela is a myth, how many young girls try to seduce their best friend's dads? How many? FUCKING none. You know how many old men will sexually assault/r*pe children? A LOT MORE. FUCK THIS SCRIPT
---- AND it is A GROWN ADULTS RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTROL HIMSELF WHEN A TEEN IS TRYING TO GET SOME ACTION. FUCK THIS SCRIPT
- IN WHAT WORLD IS A CHILD PREDATOR SUPPOSED TO BE MORE SYMPATHETIC THAN A NEUROTIC WOMAN ???? FUCK THIS SCRIPT
- HMM WHICH IS WORSE A WOMAN HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH A GROWN MAN OR A MAN THIRSTING OVER HIS DAUGHTER'S FRIEND ??? I'LL GIVE YOU A MINUTE
- oh yeah and also let's not forget about all the stupid and ON THE NOSE lines about the fucking themes.
- plastic bag make me different. NO
- FUCK THIS SCRIPT
- I don't care that lester is a "loser", he's still the main character that we are supposed to at least sympathize with
- apparently filming girls without their permission is NOT CREEPY if you are a "deep" and "real" kinda guy, BRO angela was right, Ricky is fucking creepy
- Ricky is such a write-in character for the stupid asshole that wrote this script. FUCK YOU ALAN YOU HAVE A SMALL DICK
- Angela is a myth, how many young girls try to seduce their best friend's dads? How many? FUCKING none. You know how many old men will sexually assault/r*pe children? A LOT MORE. FUCK THIS SCRIPT
---- AND it is A GROWN ADULTS RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTROL HIMSELF WHEN A TEEN IS TRYING TO GET SOME ACTION. FUCK THIS SCRIPT
- IN WHAT WORLD IS A CHILD PREDATOR SUPPOSED TO BE MORE SYMPATHETIC THAN A NEUROTIC WOMAN ???? FUCK THIS SCRIPT
- HMM WHICH IS WORSE A WOMAN HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH A GROWN MAN OR A MAN THIRSTING OVER HIS DAUGHTER'S FRIEND ??? I'LL GIVE YOU A MINUTE
- oh yeah and also let's not forget about all the stupid and ON THE NOSE lines about the fucking themes.
- plastic bag make me different. NO
- FUCK THIS SCRIPT
March 10, 2019
I've been reading a lot of screenplays recently, as a screenwriter myself I take so much joy in seeing my favourite films in written form and try and understand how out of millions of screenplays, these made it to screen. I am fascinated by films like this too, in where there isn't necessarily a locked in plot, it just kind of transpires with the characters as you watch, which can be a hard sell. Also from a writing perspective, I find it harder to keep the flow of character dramas slick as opposed to horror/thriller or action. Alan Ball's masterful skill is keeping the stage directions almost bland in simplicity and allowing the dialogue to rightfully take the spotlight, and when he does inject description and prose into the directions, it is all the more powerful and even then he doesn't overdo it, superbly done and rarely pulled off this well. Pacing, character and dialogue are all as beautiful as the next here. Recommended for any aspiring screenwriter, this is essential reading for anyone wanting to write or sell a tight, gripping drama with sharp doses of humour.
June 30, 2022
hearing “there’s nothing worse in life than being ordinary” at 13 years old while watching this movie for the first time was a pivotal point in my life. i credit a lot of my perfectionism (and shallowness) to hearing that line at such a young age. but regardless, american beauty is one of my top five favorite movies of all time. angela hayes’ one liners are criminally overlooked. my family and i quote this movie casually in conversations multiple times a week, because we all adore this movie. “you don’t think it’s weird and kinda fascist?”, “i will sell this house today!”, “you love him. you want to have like, ten thousand of his babies.” are among our most used. that is probably one of the most pretentious one of the most pretentious things i’ve ever written, and it makes me want to gag, but i must speak my truth.
April 27, 2023
Love the movie, and the script is superbly written and delivers the same emotional punch that watching it does. I remember seeing this in theaters when it was released.
It was the first movie I saw as a young adult with themes that were deeper and more impactful than most of the movies I had seen in the past. My date thought I would hate it, but she was wrong. It's still a movie that I get emotional watching even now.
Alan Ball's script is amazing, brilliantly written, and highly enjoyable. I recommend the script and the movie!
It was the first movie I saw as a young adult with themes that were deeper and more impactful than most of the movies I had seen in the past. My date thought I would hate it, but she was wrong. It's still a movie that I get emotional watching even now.
Alan Ball's script is amazing, brilliantly written, and highly enjoyable. I recommend the script and the movie!
June 26, 2024
I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me, but it’s hard to stay mad when there’s so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I’m seeing it all at once, and it’s too much; my heart fills up like a balloon that’s about to burst. And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold onto it. And then it flows through me like rain, and I can’t feel anything but gratitude—for every single moment of my stupid, little life. You have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m sure; but don’t worry….you will someday.
July 3, 2024
Compellingly written screenplay. Never seen the film. Feels dated. Bigger Than Life seems to have stood the test of time better. Far too kind to its characters.
Still, you can see immediately why it got so much fuss at the time. It feels like it's turning mundanity into something exciting and dynamic. Breezy.
Still, you can see immediately why it got so much fuss at the time. It feels like it's turning mundanity into something exciting and dynamic. Breezy.
August 15, 2018
It’s a great story about something that can be seen as mundane. It’s not a typical romance film, in fact it’s probably not focused on romance at all. It’s more about the character’s love for life and him on his way to find it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2018
Good film. Many plot twists, and a shocker in the ending! Watched this alone while peripheral and was a wee bit spooked...
March 16, 2018
The most favourite movie i've ever seen.
March 5, 2019
It was fine.
May 5, 2019
Haunting and uncomplicated this story is full of unanswered questions but I really liked it.
July 17, 2019
Amazing look into suburban life.
April 22, 2020
A masterpiece. So much fun to read and a great educational experience for beginning screenplay writers. This is how it's done.
August 27, 2024
Fab movie made from beauty of a script.🌹
April 13, 2011
This was a brilliant script. I have yet to see the movie, but the script really brings itself to life, and helps to illustrate Lester's struggle in his family to regain power. While the script could have done with a bit more typo checking, the style of Ball's writing helped to infer the camera's location and bring the shots into your head. I have read that little changed from the script to the movie, which usually means that everyone was happy the way it was, and with the awards it won, I'm not surprised.
Ball's method of writing teaches how to keep the technical details out of your work, but keep them inferred for the reader to see exactly what you want.
Ball's method of writing teaches how to keep the technical details out of your work, but keep them inferred for the reader to see exactly what you want.
January 15, 2014
look closer....!
karena setiap hal tidak dapat dinilai dari luar saja namun dari dalamnya lah yang lebih nyata.
allright,readers!,pesan moral yang bagus dari american beauty ini merupakan potret suka duka kehidupan keluarga yang kapitalis&liberalis amerika.
saat para anak-anak mereka dimanjakan harta,mimpi buruk akan haus kasih sayang yang sebenarnya menghantui.cerita yang klasik namun edukatif bagi orang biasa seperti kita,readers:D
karena setiap hal tidak dapat dinilai dari luar saja namun dari dalamnya lah yang lebih nyata.
allright,readers!,pesan moral yang bagus dari american beauty ini merupakan potret suka duka kehidupan keluarga yang kapitalis&liberalis amerika.
saat para anak-anak mereka dimanjakan harta,mimpi buruk akan haus kasih sayang yang sebenarnya menghantui.cerita yang klasik namun edukatif bagi orang biasa seperti kita,readers:D
April 26, 2019
Tento scénář je důkazem toho, že někdy film v sobě obsahuje kouzlo, které řádky v knize nedokážou zachytit. Jde stále o názornou ukázku kvalitní scenáristické práce, ale nedosahuje úrovně filmu. Možná kvůli tomu, že při jejím čtení nemůžeme sledovat Kevina Spaceyho a další skvělé herce. Každopádně pokud máte film Americká krása rádi, přečtením scénáře nic nezkazíte - ba naopak, třeba vás přiměje se na film podívat z trochu jiného úhlu, i když se od něj příliš neodlišuje, pouze v detailech.
November 29, 2010
Wow. Finding - or is that noticing, choosing beauty in the modern manufactured suburban malaise. I'd love a wife/mother role that wasn't so shallow, but it's perfect (ha!) for this. A 2000s rendition of Ordinary People: direct, powerful, revealing what we know, showing the taboos we don't take for granted.
November 26, 2014
Sometimes I feel cheated reading a shooting script because what you are reading is almost always exactly the same as what you get in the actual film. While this was also the case with American Beauty, I would gladly re-read it a dozen times more! The film itself is brilliant, but clearly behind it there is a great deal of even better writing.
November 21, 2012
I put that I liked it because it was an enjoyable script to read (just as the film is even more enjoyable). It would have been better, though, if it had any director's notes or anything like that... or, like, if the script clearly differed from the movie (as it often does), which would've been more interesting to compare.
August 8, 2011
Read like an extended episode of Six Feet Under or Desperate Housewives. It should've been interesting, but it's really just another irritating showcase of shallow and ungrateful people bitching about the excesses, vanity and futility of American suburban life.
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December 29, 2013This film was gorgeous and its writing was about as good as it gets. Writing one fully developed character is hard enough, and this managed six. Reading the script is worthwhile when the writing was so much of what made American Beauty amazing fiction.
September 19, 2015
A script of amazing beauty.
Alan Ball captures humanity with a world-vision that is wonderfully his. I recommend this script for anyone who writes, is a film student, or merely is interested in how the form of a shooting script transfers into a final film.
Alan Ball captures humanity with a world-vision that is wonderfully his. I recommend this script for anyone who writes, is a film student, or merely is interested in how the form of a shooting script transfers into a final film.
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