American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

Jane studies a plastic-surgery site and her profile as Lester describes her insecurity and his reluctance to lie about her future.

Scene 8 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Lester

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 3 min into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 8

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 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
Carolyn chats with the Jims while Lester watches and recalls when she used to be happy.
Scene 8
This scene

8INT. BURNHAM HOUSE - JANE'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

JANE is seated at her desk, working at her computer.

LESTER (V.O.)

My daughter Jane. Only child.

CLOSE on the COMPUTER MONITOR: A PERSONAL BANKING SOFTWARE window suddenly disappears to reveal another window: a PLASTIC SURGERY WEBSITE, featuring clinical "before" and "after" photos of surgically augmented breasts.

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

Janie's a pretty typical teenager.

Angry, insecure, confused. I wish I

could tell her that's all going to

pass...

Outside, a CAR HORN BLARES. Jane stuffs items into her BACKPACK.

LESTER (CONT'D)

But I don't want to lie to her.

We HEAR the CAR HORN again from outside. Jane studies herself in a mirror, then shifts to get a good profile of her breasts.