Maslin felt that Mendes directed with " terrific visual flair " , saying his minimalist style balanced " the mordant and bright " and that he evoked the " delicate , eroticized power @-@ playing vignettes " of his theater work . Jackson said Mendes ' theatrical roots rarely showed , and that the " most remarkable " aspect was that Spacey 's performance did not overshadow the film . He said that Mendes worked the script 's intricacies smoothly , to the ensemble 's strengths , and staged the tonal shifts skillfully . McCarthy believed American Beauty a " stunning card of introduction " for film débutantes Mendes and Ball . He said Mendes ' " sure hand " was " as precise and controlled " as his theater work . McCarthy cited Hall 's involvement as fortunate for Mendes , as the cinematographer was " unsurpassed " at conveying the themes of a work . Turan agreed that Mendes ' choice of collaborators was " shrewd " , naming Hall and Newman in particular . Turan suggested that American Beauty may have benefited from Mendes ' inexperience , as his " anything 's possible daring " made him attempt beats that more seasoned directors might have avoided . Turan felt that Mendes ' accomplishment was to " capture and enhance [ the ] duality " of Ball 's script — the simultaneously " caricatured [ ... ] and painfully real " characters . Hentzi , while critical of many of Mendes and Ball 's choices , admitted the film showed off their " considerable talents " .