American Beauty
“... look closer”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2021-01-12
Top Cast
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Kevin Spacey
Lester Burnham
Annette Bening
Carolyn Burnham
Thora Birch
Jane Burnham
Wes Bentley
Ricky Fitts
Mena Suvari
Angela Hayes
Peter Gallagher
Buddy Kane
Allison Janney
Barbara Fitts
Chris Cooper
Colonel Fitts
Scott Bakula
Jim Olmeyer
Sam Robards
Jim Berkley
Barry Del Sherman
Brad
Ara Celi
Sale House Woman #1
John Cho
Sale House Man #1
Hal Fort Atkinson
Sale House Man #2
Sue Casey
Sale House Woman #2
Kent Faulcon
Sale House Man #3
Brenda Wehle
Sale House Woman #4
Lisa Cloud
Sale House Woman #4
Release History & Theatrical Window
Toronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
September 15, 1999
Wide Cinema Exhibition
November 24, 2000
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$15M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$356.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
23.75x
+$341.3M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Sam Mendes
- Screenplay & Story
- Alan Ball
- Original Score
- Thomas Newman
- Original Title
- American Beauty
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 2m
- Production Budget
- $15M
- Worldwide Gross
- $356.3M
- Production Studios
- DreamWorks Pictures, Jinks/Cohen Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Sam Mendes
Alan Ball
Thomas Newman
Conrad Hall, Conrad W. Hall, David Golia
Christopher Greenbury, Tariq Anwar
Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks
Department Leadership Roster
Christopher Greenbury
Editor
Sam Mendes
Director
Bruce Cohen
Producer
Dan Jinks
Producer
Julie Weiss
Costume Design
Conrad Hall
Director of Photography
Thomas Newman
Original Music Composer
Tariq Anwar
Editor
Alan Ball
Writer
Naomi Shohan
Production Design
Rob Hodgson
Visual Effects Supervisor
David Goldberg
Visual Effects Supervisor
Ben Scott
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for American Beauty.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring American Beauty.
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Academy Awards
Best Movie
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Frequently Asked Questions About American Beauty
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is American Beauty about?
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.
Who directed American Beauty?
American Beauty was directed by Sam Mendes.
Who stars in American Beauty?
The principal cast of American Beauty includes Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari.
When was American Beauty released and how long is it?
American Beauty was released in 1999 with a total runtime of 2h 2m.
What was the box office and production budget of American Beauty?
American Beauty had a reported production budget of $15M and grossed $356.3M at the worldwide box office (23.75 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for American Beauty?
The original motion picture soundtrack for American Beauty was composed by Thomas Newman.
What is the age rating and content advisory for American Beauty?
American Beauty holds official age classifications: AU: MA 15+; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).