2. Lester Burnham - American Beauty
Don't get me wrong; I love the character of Lester Burnham in American Beauty, but damn, the guy has absolutely no regard for the effect of his actions on his daughter. We sympathise with him because his wife is a bitch, constantly emasculating him, yet at the same time his action towards his daughter's nubile, young best friend (Mena Suvari) make him come across as a total, leering creep. After fantasising about her sexually, he eventually gets the opportunity to indulge it, though cannot bring himself to have sex with her after coming to his senses. Once his daughter realises Lester's attraction to her friend, it just makes the atmosphere in the home even more awkward and uncomfortable. Lester may not have physically touched his daughter, but he's no doubt left some deep-seated emotional scars, all the more compelling because they're one of the last things she ever finds out about her dad before he's gunned down by the closeted homosexual neighbour.
Shaun Munro
Contributor
Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.
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