American: Beauty

: An advertising executive who feels numb and "sleepwalking" through life. He finds a sudden, obsessive goal after becoming infatuated with Angela Hayes , his teenage daughter's flirtatious best friend.

: Their 16-year-old daughter who resents her parents and feels deeply insecure. The Fitts Family: Repression and Voyeurism American Beauty

: Lester’s wife, a real estate agent obsessed with the image of professional success. Their relationship is purely performative, leading her to have an affair with her rival, Buddy Kane. : An advertising executive who feels numb and

The story of the 1999 film follows Lester Burnham, a disillusioned suburban father and husband who experiences a radical midlife awakening . Narrated by Lester from beyond the grave, the film explores the year leading up to his death as he rebels against his stagnant corporate job and hollow marriage. The Burnhams: A House in Decay The Fitts Family: Repression and Voyeurism : Lester’s