American Beauty (1999)

Sometimes it's important to be reminded that the only rules in life are the ones you choose to follow. There's a playful sense of honesty to this film that is at once off-putting and awkward, yet compelling and liberating. Seeing the main character's trip from the deepest depths of his mid-life crisis onward has a lot to say about how much we all lie at our own expense to keep others happy. Its show of suburban dystopia is stark and rigid, but doles out nuggets of fundamental truths that are tragically earnest. The broad brush it paints with does not produce a pretty picture, but asks you to laugh and become comfortable with its own type of integrity. The end results in a feeling of heartbreaking tragedy, yet perfect understanding and perfect serenity.

9 out of 10.