This week on Wheel of Film, we’re diving into American Beauty, the 1999 suburban drama directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball. The film follows Lester Burnham, a disillusioned middle-aged father who rebels against his suffocating suburban life, quits his job, lusts after his daughter’s best friend, and clashes with his wife and teenage daughter—setting off a chain of tragic, darkly comedic events that expose the emptiness behind the American Dream.

The movie was both a critical and commercial success. On a $15 million budget, it grossed over $356 million worldwide. It went on to sweep awards season, winning 5 Academy Awards—including Best Picture, Best Director for Mendes, Best Actor for Kevin Spacey, Best Original Screenplay for Alan Ball, and Best Cinematography for Conrad Hall. It also picked up BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and a place on many critics’ “best of the year” lists, cementing its legacy as one of the defining films of the late 1990s.

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