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''American Buffalo'' is a three-man play by Creator/DavidMamet, adapted into a 1996 film starring Creator/DustinHoffman, Creator/DennisFranz, and Sean Nelson. The story follows Don, Teach, and Bobby, a trio of ne'er-do-wells who are plotting to steal another man's rare coin collection. As the time of the heist approaches, tensions rise, and the would-be robbers start to mistrust and turn on each other.

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!!This work provides examples of:

* AddledAddict: Bobby is often played as this; this was mostly removed from the film adaptation given Sean Nelson's age, but Teach still throws out a line implying Bobby is more or less a FunctionalAddict.
* ArcWords: Business.
%%* BadGuyBar: The Riverside serves as this.
* ButtMonkey: Bobby, who never gets his change to succeed in business [[spoiler:and ends the play getting a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown from Teach.]]
* CentralTheme: The relationship between friendship and business.
%%* TheDragon: Teach, to Don. Borders on DragonInChief given Teach's ControlFreak tendencies.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: The characters debate about whether it's going to rain later (it does).
* TheGhost: Fletcher, Ruthie, and Grace are often discussed, but never appear. Neither does the guy with the coin collection.
* HairTriggerTemper: Creator/AlPacino originated the role of Teach on Broadway, which should tell you something about the character.
* HeManWomanHater: Teach has some major woman issues. He's also the only character in the play to use words like bitch, dyke, and [[CountryMatters cunt]].
* HypocriticalHumor: After trashing Don's shop in a rage, Teach advises Don to clean up the place.
* IJustWantToBeLoved: Bobby is driven by a constant need for Donny's approval.
* KnowNothingKnowItAll: Teach is constantly patronising both Bobby and Don with advice on business and acts with a bravado that suggests he believes he is a ConsummateProfessional career criminal, when it is clear through most of the play that he in fact has no clue what he's doing.
%%* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Donny [[spoiler:after Teach's assault on Bobby.]]
* NaiveNewcomer: Bobby, who is new to the resale shop and wants to do whatever he can to impress Bobby.
%%* NiceMeanAndInBetween: Bobby, Teach, and Don, respectively.
* ParentalSubstitute: Donny serves as a surrogate father to Bobby.
* ShaggyDogStory: [[spoiler:They never end up robbing the guy.]]
%%* SirSwearsALot: Don and Teach, but especially Teach. It '''''is''''' a David Mamet play.
%%* StupidCrooks: The cast consists of them.
* TeamMom: Don spends a lot of time encouraging the others to eat more healthily and take naps.
* VillainProtagonist: All three main characters are low-lifes trying to hustle their way into the American Dream.
%%* VillainousBSOD: Teach [[spoiler:upon finding out that his and Don's planning was AllForNothing.]]
* VillainsOutShopping: The whole play is three low-lifes eating, discussing random minutiae, and ''talking'' about committing a crime.
* WhamLine: [[spoiler: "Donny, I missed him!" Bobby made up the story about the customer with the suitcase to prevent Donny from being disappointed in him for failing to keep tabs on him.]]
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