The stunning film debut from Sam Mendes (who won one of the film‘s many Oscars for his troubles). One of the most startling, brilliant pictures to come out of a major studio in many years Kevin Spacey gives a trophy-grabbing, barnstorming performance as mid-life crisis victim Lester Burnham, who copes with his middle age rut and asexual marriage (to Annetter Bening‘s marvellously uptight socialite) by reverting back to all manner of peculiar adolescent behaviour; he quits his job in spectacular fashion, starts smoking pot supplied by his weirdo neighbour (Wes Bentley) and begins chasing his daughter‘s jailbait buddy (Mena Suvari).

An edgily hilarious and marvellously astute portrayal of the American dream gone horribly wrong, with unilaterally superb dialogue, direction and performances from the leads (not forgetting Chris Cooper‘s terrifyingly militaristic neighbour and Alison Janney as his downtrodden, almost silent wife).