American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

The Colonel sees Lester pass Ricky cash through the garage window and misreads the scene as sexual intimacy.

Scene 118 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:18 into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 118

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 115
Lester admires his pumped arms, then discovers his marijuana is gone.
Scene 116
Ricky leaves dinner to return Jane's geometry book, making the Colonel uneasy.
Scene 117
Angela needles Jane about her sex life as they drive through the rain.
Scene 118
This scene

118INT. FITTS HOUSE - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

The Colonel rinses off his plate at the sink. Something outside catches his eye, and he cranes his neck to get a better look at...

His POV: Through the window over the sink, we can see into the Burnham's GARAGE WINDOW. Our view is blurred by the RAIN, but we see Lester, his upper body pumped and glistening in sweat as he counts out a wad of BILLS... and then Ricky walks into view.

The Colonel's face tightens.

His POV: Lester drapes his arm around Ricky as he gives him the money. We can only see Lester from the waist up, so he looks naked.