SceneFiend library
American Beauty
By Sam Mendes - Film
Roles
- Lester Burnham - Adult (36-50), Male
About this piece
Lester Burnham's closing monologue
Summary
Lester Burnham is an advertising executive who is going through a mid life crisis. He hates his job and is having problems communicating with his wife Carolyn, a real estate broker and his daughter Jane. After attending a basketball game at his daughter's high school he develops an infatuation for his daughter's friend Angela. He finds the inspiration to change his life and befriends his neighbor Ricky, an introverted teenager who attends his daughter's high school. At the end of the movie he is killed by Ricky's father, a homophobic US Marine Corps Colonel who turns out to be homosexual as he tries to kiss Lester. Lester rejects him and he is shot dead. In this monologue Lester is dying or is dead and recounts his memories and reflects on his life.
Tone
Use cases
Library metadata only. SceneFiend never includes script text here - pick up the published version to rehearse.
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