American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

Carolyn chats with the Jims while Lester watches and recalls when she used to be happy.

Scene 7 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Carolyn
Jim #1
Lester

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 2 min into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 7

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.

Scene 2
Lester surveys his street and life as an ordinary suburban world he already experiences as death.
Just before
Scene 4
Lester masturbates in the shower and calls it the high point of his day.
Scene 5
Carolyn tends her rose bushes as Lester describes her exacting image.
Scene 6
The two Jims calm their barking dog and show their ordered home life.
Scene 7
This scene

7EXT. BURNHAM HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Lester watches all this from the window.

CAROLYN

Good morning, Jim!

Jim #1 walks toward the fence to greet Carolyn.

JIM #1

Morning, Carolyn.

CAROLYN

(overly friendly)

I just love your tie! That color!

JIM #1

I just love your roses. How do you

get them to flourish like this?

CAROLYN

Well, I'll tell you. Egg shells and

Miracle Grow.

Jim #1 and Carolyn continue to chat, unaware that Lester is watching them.

LESTER (V.O.)

Man. I get exhausted just watching

her.

Lester's POV: We can't hear what Jim and Carolyn are saying, but she's overly animated, like a TV talk show host.

LESTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)

She wasn't always like this. She

used to be happy. We used to be

happy.