American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

Lester leaves the office with his belongings, elated after quitting on his own terms.

Scene 77 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Lester

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 48 min into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 77

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.
Just before
Scene 74
Carolyn peers through the garage window and sees Lester working out.
Scene 75
Carolyn confronts Lester about pot and exercise; he tells her she cannot control him.
Scene 76
Lester blackmails Brad into a year's severance by threatening to expose company fraud and a false harassment claim.
Scene 77
This scene

77INT. OFFICE BUILDING - MOMENTS LATER

Exhilarated, Lester walks down a corridor, his belongings in a box on his shoulder. He's happier than he's been in years.

LESTER

Yeah!