American Beauty is a 1999 American drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball. The film stars Kevin Spacey, ANNETTE Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari, and Chris Cooper. The story centers around the Burnham family, particularly Lester Burnham (Spacey) and his daughter, Jane (Birch). Lester's wife, Carolyn (Bening), is having an affair with a real estate tycoon, Buddy Kane (Bentley). Jane has a crush on her classmate, Ricky Fitts (Cooper), who is living with his single mother, Barbara (Suvari). The film follows the Burnhams as they struggle to find beauty in their lives amidst the chaos of suburban life.