American Beauty
by
Alan Ball
|
American Beauty is about a dysfunctional family from a typical suburban neighborhood. The husband has found a new lease on life after quiting his job, and his trying to recapture the carefree days of his youth, much to his wife�s chagrin. In this scene, CAROLYN Burnham has come home from her real estate job to find that her husband, LESTER, has bought a new car. CAROLYN Ah, whose car is that out front? LESTER Mine. 1970 Pontiac Firebird. The car I always wanted, and now I have it. I rule! CAROLYN Where�s the Camry? LESTER I traded it in. CAROLYN Shouldn�t you have consulted me first? LESTER Hmm, let me think...No. You never drove it. (then) Have you done something different? You look great. CAROLYN (brusque) Where�s Jane? LESTER Jane not home. We have the whole house to ourselves. He smiles at her playfully. She stares back, annoyed. Lester just laughs. LESTER Christ, Carolyn. When did you become so...joyless? CAROLYN Joyless? I am not joyless. There happens to be alot about me that you don�t know, mister smarty man. There is plenty of joy in my life. LESTERWhatever happened to that girl who used to fake seizures at frat parties when she got bored? And who used to run up to the roof of our first apartment building to flash the traffic helicopters? Have you totally forgotten about her? Because I haven�t. His face is close to hers, and suddenly the atmosphere is charged. She pulls back automatically, but it�s clear she�s drawn to him. He smiles and moves even closer, holding his beer loosely balanced. Then, just before their lips meet... CAROLYN Lester, you�re going to spill beer on the couch. She�s immediately sorry she�s said it, but it�s too late. His smile fades and the moment is gone. LESTER So what? It�s just a couch. CAROLYN This is a four thousand dollar sofa upholstered in Italian silk. This is not "just a couch." LESTER It�s just a couch!! He stands and gestures towards all the things in the room. LESTER This isn�t life. This is just stuff. And it�s becoming more important to you than living. Well, honey, that�s just nuts. Carolyn stares at him, on the verge of tears, then turns and walks out of the room before he can see her cry. LESTER I�m only trying to help you! |
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