You can put Spacey in the first camp: 'I read the screenplay and nearly fell out of bed. The story of American Beauty proved polarizing even before the cameras rolled some actors were as strongly drawn to the project as others were repelled. Powerful performances from Chris Cooper and Wes Bentley round out the featured cast with Mena Suvari serving as the adolescent object of Spacey's increasing obsession. Annette Bening costars as his frustrated wife Carolyn and Thora Birch plays their sullen teenage daughter Jane. Not bad for his first feature film! Starring Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham, a man in the throes of a major mid-life crisis, American Beauty deftly weaves an assortment of characters from an anonymous suburb into a fascinating tale of self-reckoning. Who would have thought that a film whose most poignant scene features some leaves and a swirling plastic bag would be a hit? And yet, not only was American Beauty (1999) a worldwide smash with audiences, it picked up scores of awards for its cast and crew, including Oscars® for Best Picture, Actor, Cinematography, Writing, and Director for Sam Mendes.

American beauty screenplay online