History Fridge / AmericanBeauty

* The beer scene. Lester and Carolyn make out in the living room, but before it progresses to sex, he almost spills his beer and she stops everything to chide him for it, and he loses his temper and blows up at her for being so materialistic. Needless to say, the mood is killed. The fact that neither of them could just set the beer aside and go back to making love neatly spelled out ''everything'' wrong with their marriage.

* The beer scene. Lester and Carolyn make out in the living room, but before it progresses to sex, he almost spills his beer and she stops everything to chide him for it, and he utterly blows up at her for being so materialistic. Needless to say, the mood is killed. The fact that neither of them could just set the beer aside and go back to making love neatly spelled out ''everything'' wrong with their marriage.

* At the end of the film, Carolyn was coming home with the absolute intention of [[spoiler:murdering Lester. However, upon arriving home, she found him already dead in the same manner she had intended to kill him. In that moment, she realized the difference between the satisfying, cathartic revenge and subsequent freedom she had been imagining and the reality: that a man she had once loved, and still cared for, had had his life taken away and that she would never have the chance to reconcile or repair anything. This is why she ends up wailing on the floor, clutching her husband's shirts. Perhaps if it had come down to it, Carolyn would have realized this on her own and stopped herself from killing him...but before she could have that revelation, someone took it from her. In short, Carolyn's moment of discovering her husband's body was her more brutal, violent version of the revelation Lester had in the kitchen when he realized that Angela was a vulnerable young girl and that he was on the verge of doing something terrible that he could never take back. Lester needed only to ''imagine'' how terrible it would be to take advantage of Angela in order to stop himself. Carolyn never had the chance to stop it but must live with the consequences anyway.]]

* Assuming, of course, Frank gets caught, but if he ever did, what would happen to Barbara? The woman is a shell, incapable of any thought for herself, if Frank ever left, since Ricky was booted...what would happen to her?
** There is bound to be a large police investigation, and it won't take long for them to find the video of Jane and Ricky discussing killing Lester - such an incriminating tape could so easily be used against them as evidence [[spoiler:and in the original script, it was probably the tape that sealed their conviction]] - the camera was turned off before they confirmed to each other that they were joking. They will probably also find Ricky's stash of cannabis, which will work against him too. Their only hope is if [[spoiler:Frank]] owns up or they find [[spoiler:his bloodied shirt]] - both unlikely (the latter is easily disposed of).

* Lester Burnham [[SignificantAnagram =]] [[Literature/{{Lolita}} Humbert]] Learns. Literally floored me when I learned it. In 2012.

* On first sight years ago it seemed that the reason [[spoiler:Frank did it]] was either because he was [[spoiler:rejected or that he still believed Lester was gay and had hurt Ricky, just liked younger boys]]. Just realized it was because [[spoiler:he couldn't let Lester live after the kiss, because it meant that someone knew Frank was closeted]].

* The beer scene. Lester and Carolyn make out in the living room, but before it progresses to sex, he almost spills his beer and she stops everything to chide him for it, and he utterly blows up at her for being so materialistic. Needless to say, the mood is killed. The fact that neither of them could just set the beer aside and go back to making love was ''exactly'' what was wrong with their marriage.

* The beer scene. Lester and Carolyn make out in the living room, but before it progresses to sex, she chides him for nearly spilling his beer on the couch, and he utterly blows up at her for being so materialistic. The fact that neither of them could just set the beer aside and get back to making love was ''exactly'' what was wrong with their marriage.

* At the end of the film, Carolyn was coming home with the absolute intention of [[spoiler:murdering Lester. However, upon arriving home, she found him already dead in the same manner she had intended to kill him. In that moment, she realized the difference between the satisfying, cathartic revenge and subsequent freedom she had been imagining and the reality: that a man she had once loved, and still cared for, had had his life taken away and that she would never have the chance to reconcile or repair anything. Perhaps if it had come down to it, Carolyn would have realized this on her own and stopped herself from killing him...but before she could have that revelation, someone took it from her. In short, Carolyn's moment of discovering her husband's body was her more brutal, violent version of the revelation Lester had in the kitchen when he realized that Angela was a vulnerable young girl and that he was on the verge of doing something terrible that he could never take back. Lester needed only to ''imagine'' how terrible it would be to take advantage of Angela in order to stop himself. Carolyn never had the chance to stop it but must live with the consequences anyway.]]

* The beer scene. Lester and Carolyn make out in the living room, but before it progresses to sex, Carolyn chides him for nearly spilling his beer on the couch, and Lester utterly blows up at her for being so materialistic. The fact that neither of them could just set the beer aside and get back to making love was ''exactly'' what was wrong with their marriage.

* The beer scene. Lester and Carolyn make out in the living room, but before it progresses to sex, Carolyn chides him for nearly spilling his beer on the couch, and Lester utterly blows up at her for being so materialistic. The fact that neither of them could just set the beer aside and get on with making love showcases ''everything wrong with their marriage''.

* The beer scene. Lester and Carolyn make out in the living room, but before it progresses to sex, Carolyn chides him for nearly spilling his beer on the couch, and Lester utterly blows up at her for caring more about furniture than their love life. The fact that neither of them could just set the beer on the coffee table and get on with lovemaking (possibly their first time in ages) neatly showcases ''everything wrong with their marriage''.

[[AC:Fridge Horror]]

* On first sight years ago it seemed that the reason [[spoiler:Frank did it]] was either because he was [[spoiler:rejected or that he still believed Lester was gay and had hurt Ricky, just liked younger boys]]. Just realized it was because [[spoiler:he couldn't let Lester live after the kiss, because it meant that someone knew Frank was closeted]].

[[AC:Fridge Brilliance]]
* Lester Burnham [[SignificantAnagram =]] [[Literature/{{Lolita}} Humbert]] Learns. Literally floored me when I learned it. In 2012.

* Lester Burnham [[SignificantAnagram =]] [[Literature/{{Lolita}} Humbert]] Learns. Literally floored me when I learned it. In 2012.

* Lester Burnham = Humbert Learns. Literally floored me when I learned it. In 2012.

** There is bound to be a large police investigation, and it won't take long for them to find the video of Jane and Ricky discussing killing Lester - such an incriminating tape could so easily be used against them as evidence [[spoiler:and in the original script, it was probably the tape that sealed their conviction]] - the camera was turned off before they confirmed to each other that they were joking. They will probably also find Ricky's stash of cannabis, which will work against him too. Their only hope is if [[spoiler:Frank]] owns up or they find [[spoiler:his bloodied shirt]] - both unlikely (the latter is easily disposed of).