American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

The Colonel searches Ricky's room and watches Ricky's recordings of Barbara and Lester lifting weights.

Scene 109 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:13 into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 109

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.
Scenes 91–102
Lester wins control of his daily life and openly rejects the family's old rules.
Just before
Scene 106
Jane confronts Lester about his fixation on Angela; he insults her and regrets it.
Scene 107
The Colonel watches Ricky get ready and hides his tenderness when Ricky says he will ride with Jane's family.
Scene 108
Ricky leaves with Jane and Carolyn while Lester signals him to call; the Colonel watches, troubled.
Scene 109
This scene

109INT. FITTS HOUSE - RICKY'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

The door swings open silently and the Colonel enters. He starts going through Ricky's bureau. He opens the DRAWER in which we know Ricky keeps his marijuana, but he doesn't discover its false bottom.

He stands and looks around, his eyes finally landing on: The DIGICAM and a stack of CASSETTES on a shelf. The camera is still connected to the TV. The Colonel turns on the TV, examines the Digicam and presses "play." The TV's blank screen suddenly gives way to...

On VIDEO: Barbara Fitts sits at the kitchen table, staring off into space.

The Colonel watches, at first baffled, then impatient. He takes the cassette out of the Digicam and inserts another. On the TV screen we see...

On VIDEO: Through the Burnham's GARAGE WINDOW, we see Lester step out of his pants and briefs. Then, naked except for his black socks, he grabs the dumbbells and starts lifting them, watching his reflection in the window as he does...

The Colonel sinks slowly onto Ricky's bed, mesmerized.