American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

Ricky lifts his camera to record Lester.

Scene 64 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 37 min into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 64

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 61
Ricky looks out from his room and spots Lester searching the garage shelves.
Scene 62
From Ricky's viewpoint, Lester digs through the garage shelves.
Scene 63
Lester finds dumbbells and begins stripping to inspect his body in the garage window.
Scene 64
This scene

64INT. FITTS HOUSE - RICKY'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Ricky holds his Digicam up and starts to videotape.