American Beauty' shines with humor and heart

It's a simple rule, really: a film's audience can only be as interested in a film's subject as the filmmaker is. Fortunately, Sam Mendes is more than just interested in the characters of his new film, American Beauty - he is in awe. Mendes stares in wonder at the crazy, disgusting, all-too familiar human beings that populate his film. It is a pure fascination of humanity expressed through the caress of story and image. You will feel it too.