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Film
group
Drama
5 Characters

The Plastic Bag Scene

from American Beauty

Written by Alan Ball

American Beauty

Ricky shows Jane his father's hidden Nazi memorabilia before taking her to his room to share his most personal video footage. He explains his philosophical connection to a floating plastic bag, revealing his deep sensitivity and unconventional worldview, which leads to an intimate moment between them before Jane returns to her dysfunctional family dinner.

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RICKY: Wow. People study meditation for years to be able to reach that same state of mind.

BARBARA: Huh. What do you know.

RICKY: Mom, I want you to meet somebody. She's standing behind you. This is Jane.

BARBARA: Oh, my. I apologize for the way things look around here.

RICKY: This is where my Dad h

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WriterAlan Ball
CharactersRicky, Jane, Barbara, Lester, Carolyn
Duration4 min
Age Range18-25
GenderAny
GenreDrama
PeriodContemporary
Formatgroup
SourceAmerican Beauty
Tonevulnerable
Suitable Fordrama school audition, agent showcase, self tape, general practice
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