Lester Burnham is suffering a mid-life crisis that affects the lives of his family, which is made up of his super bitch of a wife Carolyn and rebelling daughter Jane, who hates him. Carolyn is a real estate agent, a little too wrapped up in her job, who takes on an affair with business rival Buddy Kane. Meanwhile Jane seems to fall in love with Ricky Fitts, the strange boy next door, who is a drug dealer/documentarian and lives under a roof governed by a very strict marine father and a speechless mother. Lester's mid-life crisis causes him to drastically change his life around when he quits his job and works at a fast food restaurant. He starts working out to gain the attention of Angela, a friend of Jane's, who brags about her sexual exploits every weekend. Lives change and not for the best.

The role of Angela Hayes was offered to Kirsten Dunst, who turned it down.

Lester Burnham:
You don't get to tell me what to do ever again.

Continuity: When Carolyn and Buddy go to Mr. Smiley's you hear them order from inside. You see them drive past a menu after the ordering area, and an earlier scene has clearly shown this to be the only menu. The shots have been switched so that we are surprised along with Lester when he overhears them together.

Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Performed by Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith appears courtesy of DreamWorks Records