# American Beauty (1999) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/american-beauty-1999/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-31

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 82% |
| Editorial Rating | 85/100 |
| Audience Snapshot | 87% (excluded from composite) |
| Metascore | 79/100 |
| Letterboxd | 4/5 |
| IMDb | 8.3/10 |
| Director | Sam Mendes |
| Genres | Drama |
| Runtime | 122 min |

## Quick answer

American Beauty (1999) earns a 82% Celluloid Score — Recommended. IMDb Top 250 #86 (8.3/10) — American Beauty remains one of the most highly rated films of all time. Metascore 79/100. Directed by Sam Mendes.

## Celluloid verdict

IMDb Top 250 #86 (8.3/10) — American Beauty remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

## 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.

## Cast

Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari, Peter Gallagher, Allison Janney, Chris Cooper, Scott Bakula, Sam Robards

## Where to watch

the United Kingdom: Prime Video, Paramount+
Indonesia: Vidio, HBO Max
Japan: U-NEXT
the Philippines: HBO Max
Malaysia: HBO Max
Thailand: HBO Max

## Common questions

**Is American Beauty worth watching?**
American Beauty holds a 82% Celluloid Score. IMDb Top 250 #86 (8.3/10) — American Beauty remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

**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 (1999) was directed by Sam Mendes.

**What is the Celluloid Score of American Beauty?**
82% — calculated from available Celluloid editorial (85/100), Metascore (79/100), Letterboxd (4/5), and IMDb (8.3/10) inputs. Audience sentiment is excluded.

**Where can I watch American Beauty?**
American Beauty is on Prime Video, Paramount+ in the United Kingdom; on Vidio, HBO Max in Indonesia; on U-NEXT in Japan; on HBO Max in the Philippines; on HBO Max in Malaysia; on HBO Max in Thailand. Availability varies by region.

---
Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

Markdown mirror: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/american-beauty-1999.md