I first watched this film around a year ago in Media Studies at college. I enjoyed it, but I didn't really understand the hype. I think a lot of this was due to confusion at the end as to who killed Lester Burnham.
I watched it for the second time last night. As they say, I started to notice different things this time. However, yet again I was confused as to who killed Lester. So I had a little look on the internet. Suddenly I've just realised how clever this film is.
So for those of you who have seen the film - what may have happened?
1) Col Fitts - perhaps the easiest explanation is that Fitts killed Lester due to his belief that his son Ricky was involved in a homosexual relationship with Lester. However, maybe there's another reason. Could Fitts have killed Lester in attempt to hide his sexual feelings towards him? I assumed that the kiss in the garage was a 'test' for Lester, but maybe he kissed him because he wanted to kiss him?
Now here's an interesting thing. If Fitts shot him, surely he wouldn't have that amount of blood on his shirt as he would of been stood behind Lester when he shot him and the blood fired forward onto the wall. Could the gunshot that Carolyn heard outside be of Fitts killing his own wife? Again something to do with his own insecurity and homosexuality?
2) Ricky - obviously didn't kill Lester, but did he have some part to play? I always wondered why he was knelt almost smiling when he found Lester dead.
It's only that I read over these ideas that it all started to make sense. I looked back over the film and remembered hints/key parts which all seem to link in with the almost cliffhanger ending.
What do you think?
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