American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

Lester lounges with a remote-control car as he and Carolyn argue about his new life and her attachment to possessions.

Scene 102 of 163 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act two

Lester
Carolyn

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:04 into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 102

After becoming infatuated with his teenage daughter’s friend, a dissatisfied suburban father quits his job and pursues a more vivid life, unsettling his family and drawing him into the orbit of a troubled teenage neighbor.

Scenes 1–13
Lester is trapped in a suburban routine of corporate work and a marriage performed for appearances.
Scenes 14–31
Family estrangement and his attraction to Angela expose how urgently Lester wants to feel alive.
Scenes 32–75
Lester follows the desire into risky fantasy, exercise and open defiance of Carolyn.
Scenes 76–90
Lester quits and takes a fast-food job while Jane and Ricky begin connecting in parallel.
Scene 91
Lester's dinner-table outburst shatters the family's performed normality and makes his rebellion public at home.
Just before
Scene 99
Carolyn sings in her Mercedes and admires the Glock on the passenger seat.
Scene 100
Carolyn turns onto Robin Hood Trail with her gun beside her.
Scene 101
Carolyn finds Lester's Firebird blocking the driveway and bristles at the obstruction.
Scene 102
This scene

102INT. BURNHAM HOUSE - FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Lester's REMOTE-CONTROLLED MODEL JEEP is zooming across the floor of the family room, expertly maneuvering corners and narrowly avoiding crashing.

Lester is sprawled on the couch in his underwear, drinking a BEER and controlling the car. His working out is beginning to produce results. The room, too, seems changed: sloppier, more lived in.

Carolyn enters through the kitchen, flushed and angry. She just stands there, staring at Lester. After a moment, he looks up at her.

LESTER

What?

CAROLYN

Ah, whose car is that out front?

LESTER

Mine. 1970 Pontiac Firebird. The

car I always wanted and now I have

it. I rule!

CAROLYN

Where's the Camry?

LESTER

I traded it in.

CAROLYN

Shouldn't you have consulted me

first?

LESTER

Hmm, let me think... No. You never

drove it.

(then)

Have you done something different?

You look great.

CAROLYN

(brusque)

Where's Jane?

LESTER

Jane not home. We have the whole

house to ourselves.

He smiles at her playfully. She stares back, annoyed. It's the same look she had at the beginning, when he dropped his briefcase, but whatever power that look had is gone. Lester just LAUGHS.

LESTER (CONT'D)

Christ, Carolyn. When did you

become so... joyless?

CAROLYN

(taken aback)

Joyless?! I am not joyless! There