“American Beauty” quotes
(1999)
Sam Mendes
directed this movie
in 1999
Title American Beauty
Year 1999
Director Sam Mendes
Genre Romance, Drama
Year 1999
Director Sam Mendes
Genre Romance, Drama
Plot – The most important moment of the day of Lester Burnham is the daily masturbation in the shower. For what concerns the rest, his life goes always in the same way, with a job he hates, a wife and a daughter that hate him and think he’s just a loser. One day he meets Angela, one of his daughter’s classmates. He’s charmed by her sensuality and from that moment on his life changes: he quits his job, he gets a good settlement and he begins to truly live. The friendship with his new neighbor Ricky, who’s a drug dealer obsessed with his neo-Nazi father, drops a hint to him: life is worth to be lived fully.
All actors – Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari, Peter Gallagher, Allison Janney, Chris Cooper, Scott Bakula, Sam Robards, Barry Del Sherman, Ara Celi, John Cho, Fort Atkinson, Sue Casey, Kent Faulcon, Brenda Wehle, Lisa Cloud, Alison Faulk, Krista Goodsitt, Lily Houtkin, Carolina Lancaster, Mona Leah, Chekesha Van Putten, Emily Zachary, Nancy Anderson, Reshma Gajjar, Stephanie Rizzo, Heather Joy Sher, Chelsea Hertford, Amber Smith, Joel McCrary, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Dennis Anderson, Matthew Kimbrough, Erin Cathryn Strubbe, , Bruce Cohen, Elaine Corral Kendall, David C. Fisher, Tom Miller, Ronald Reagan
show all“American Beauty” Quotes 32 quotes
“I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life.”
“I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn't a second at all, it stretches on forever, like an ocean of time... For me, it was lying on my back at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars... And yellow leaves, from the maple trees, that lined our street... Or my...” (continue)(continue reading)
“In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times.”
“- Lester Burnham: Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go fuck himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.
- Carolyn Burnham: Your father seems to think this kind of behavior is something to be proud of.
- Lester Burnham: And your mother seems to prefer that I go through life like...” (continue)(continue reading)“That's the day I realized that there was this entire life behind things, and this incredibly benevolent force that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever.”
“Look at me, jerking off in the shower... This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.”
“- Lester Burnham: Well, what do you say I throw in a little sexual harassment charge, to boot?
- Brad Dupree: Against who?
- Lester Burnham: Against you. Can you prove that you didn't offer to save my job if I let you blow me?
- Brad Dupree: Man, you are one twisted fuck.
- Lester Burnham: Nope; I'm just an ordinary guy with nothing to lose.”“- Carolyn Burnham: Are you trying to look unattractive?
- Jane Burnham: Yes.
- Carolyn Burnham: Well, congratulations. You've succeeded admirably.”“It's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst.”
“My name is Lester Burnham. This is my neighborhood; this is my street; this is my life. I am 42-years-old; in less than a year I will be dead. Of course I don't know that yet, and in a way, I am dead already.”
“- Colonel Frank Fitts: I'd rather you were dead than be a fuckin' faggot.
- Ricky Fitts: You're right. I suck dick for money.
- Colonel Frank Fitts: Boy, don't start.
- Ricky Fitts: Two thousand dollars - I'm that good.
- Colonel Frank Fitts: Get out!
- Ricky Fitts: And you should see me fuck. I'm the best piece of ass in three States.
- Colonel...” (continue)(continue reading)“- Carolyn Burnham: Uh, whose car is that out front?
- Lester Burnham: Mine. 1970 Pontiac Firebird. The car I've always wanted and now I have it. I rule!”“Janie's a pretty typical teenager. Angry, insecure, confused. I wish I could tell her that's all going to pass, but I don't want to lie to her.”
“- Carolyn Burnham: Lester, I refuse to live like this! This is not a marriage!
- Lester Burnham: This hasn't been a marriage for years, but you were happy as long as I kept my mouth shut. Well, guess what, I've changed! And the new me whacks off when he feels horny, 'cause you're obviously not gonna help me out in that department!”“- Ricky Fitts: It's like God's looking right at you, just for a second, and if you're careful... you can look right back.
- Jane Burnham: And what do you see?
- Ricky Fitts: Beauty.”“- Lester Burnham: How's Jane?
- Angela Hayes: What do you mean?
- Lester Burnham: I mean, how's her life? Is she happy? Is she miserable? I'd really like to know, and she'd die before she'd ever tell me about it.
- Angela Hayes: She's... she's really happy. She thinks she's in love.
- Lester Burnham: Good for her.”“- Carolyn Burnham: Don't you mess with me, mister, or I'll divorce you so fast it'll make your head spin!
- Lester Burnham: On what grounds? I'm not a drunk, I don't fuck other women, I don't mistreat you, I've never hit you... I don't even try to touch you since you've made it so abundantly clear just how unnecessary you consider me to be! But...” (continue)(continue reading)“It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about.”
“I'm looking for the least possible amount of responsibility.”
“- Angela Hayes: At least I'm not ugly!
- Ricky Fitts: Yes, you are. And you're boring, and you're totally ordinary, and you know it.”“- Angela Hayes: How are you?
- Lester Burnham: God, it's been a long time since anybody asked me that... I'm great.
- Angela Hayes: I've gotta go to the bathroom.
- Lester Burnham: ... I'm great.”Remember those posters that said "Today is the first day of the rest of your life"? Well, that's true of every day but one - the day you die.
“- Mr. Smiley's Manager: I don't think you'd fit in here.
- Lester Burnham: I have fast food experience.
- Mr. Smiley's Manager: Yeah, like twenty years ago!
- Lester Burnham: Well, I'm sure there have been amazing technological advances in the industry, but surely you must have some sort of training program. It seems unfair to presume I won't be...” (continue)(continue reading)
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