American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

Lester snaps out of the fantasy as Carolyn and Jane arrive, then welcomes Angela to stay over.

Scene 52 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Angela
Jane
Carolyn
Lester

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 34 min into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 52

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 49
Lester smokes with Ricky, who quits catering and explains his job is a cover.
Scene 50
Jane urges Angela upstairs, but Angela insists on greeting Lester.
Scene 51
Angela touches Lester at the refrigerator and he imagines kissing her amid rose petals.
Scene 52
This scene

52INT. BURNHAM HOUSE - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

Angela is back against the counter, drinking the root beer. Lester stands by the refrigerator, gazing at her, still lost in fantasy.

ANGELA

I love root beer, don't you?

Jane watches from the doorway to the family room, feeling incredibly awkward in her own home. Carolyn enters from the dining room. Lester snaps out of it and grabs a root beer from the refrigerator.

JANE

Mom, you remember Angela.

CAROLYN

(her sales smile)

Yes, of course!

JANE

I forgot to tell you, she's

spending the night. Is that okay?

LESTER

Sure!

He takes a sip of his root beer, but it goes down the wrong way and he starts COUGHING violently.