American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

Angela teases Jane by phone about Lester's call; Jane discovers her open address book.

Scene 38 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Angela
Jane

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 21 min into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 38

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.
Just before
Scene 35
Ricky secretly films Jane arriving home; she notices him and flips him off.
Scene 36
Jane locks the door, checks that Ricky is gone, then smiles.
Scene 37
Lester secretly dials Angela after finding her number in Jane’s book; Jane discovers the address book open after he flees.
Scene 38
This scene

38INT. HAYES HOUSE - ANGELA'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Angela is sprawled across her bed, on the phone.

ANGELA

Why'd you call me?

INTERCUT WITH JANE IN HER BEDROOM:

JANE

I didn't.

ANGELA

Well, my phone just rang and I

answered it and somebody hung up

and then I star sixty-nined and it

called you back.

JANE

I was in the shower.

Then Jane notices her address book open to the H page.

JANE (CONT'D)

Oh, gross.