The Representation of Suburban Life and Underlying Problems in Sam Mendes's American Beauty

Abstract

The thesis focuses on the phenomenon of suburbia, which is known as a perfect milieu by many people. After discussing its brief history and portrayal in American cinema, the thesis enumerates underlying problems suburbia tries to hide in order to maintain its superficial splendidness. I used Sam Mendes’s classic movie, the American Beauty, to demonstrate the issues and to prove that "all that glitters is not gold".