American Beauty is without doubt one of the most distinctive films made in the last decade. The director, Sam Mendes, manages to create a unique and highly stylised piece in which the artistic and technical features are integral to our understanding of the themes of the film.

Mendes creates a strongly satirical commentary on the hollowness of the American Dream in the 1990's America. By looking at a "typical" suburban family and peeling back the layers, we begin the question, along with Lester our main character, the value of "the Dream" in the form it is pursued by so many, including his own family. Through his rejection of embracing the pursuit of materialism as a satisfied and fulfilling way to live life, we explore the consequences of following such superficial dreams through the experiences in particular of Lester, Carolyn and Janie.

Lester's decision to find new dreams results...