American Beauty (1999)
Wes Bentley: Ricky Fitts
Photos
Quotes
-
Ricky Fitts : It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. Right? And this bag was just dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. That's the day I realized that there was this entire life behind things, and this incredibly benevolent force that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember... I need to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in.
-
Catering Boss : I'm not paying you to do... whatever it is you're doing out here.
Ricky Fitts : Fine. So don't pay me.
Catering Boss : Excuse me?
Ricky Fitts : I quit. So you don't have to pay me. Now leave me alone.
Catering Boss : ...asshole.
Lester Burnham : [stunned] I think you just became my personal hero!
-
Angela Hayes : Yeah? Well, at least I'm not ugly!
Ricky Fitts : Yes, you are. And you're boring, and you're totally ordinary, and you know it.
-
Colonel Frank Fitts : Where did you get that?
Ricky Fitts : From my job.
Colonel Frank Fitts : Don't lie to me. Now, I saw you with him.
Ricky Fitts : You were watching me?
Colonel Frank Fitts : What did he make you do?
Ricky Fitts : Oh, Dad, you don't really think that me and Mr. Burnham were...
Colonel Frank Fitts : Don't you laugh at me. Now, I will not sit back and watch my only son become a cock-sucker!
Ricky Fitts : Jesus, what is it with you?
Colonel Frank Fitts : I swear to God, I will throw you out of the house and never look at you again!
Ricky Fitts : You mean that?
Colonel Frank Fitts : You're damn straight I do. I'd rather you were dead than be a fuckin' faggot.
Ricky Fitts : You're right. I suck dick for money.
Colonel Frank Fitts : Boy, don't start.
Ricky Fitts : Two thousand dollars - I'm that good.
Colonel Frank Fitts : Get out!
Ricky Fitts : And you should see me fuck. I'm the best piece of ass in three States.
Colonel Frank Fitts : Get out. I don't ever want to see you again!
Ricky Fitts : What a sad old man you are.
-
Ricky Fitts : It's like God is looking right at you, just for a second, and if you're careful... you can look right back.
Jane Burnham : And what do you see?
Ricky Fitts : Beauty.
-
Lester Burnham : When I was your age, I flipped burgers all summer just to be able to buy an eight-track.
Ricky Fitts : That sucks.
Lester Burnham : No, actually it was great. All I did was party and get laid. I had my whole life ahead of me.
-
Ricky Fitts : My dad thinks I pay for all this with catering jobs. Never underestimate the power of denial.
-
Ricky Fitts : She's not your friend. She's just someone you use to feel better about yourself.
-
Ricky Fitts : I can't believe you don't know how beautiful you are.
-
Jane Burnham : Are you scared?
Ricky Fitts : I don't get scared.
Jane Burnham : My parents will try to find me.
Ricky Fitts : Mine won't.
-
Ricky Fitts : [after Ricky's dad beats him up] Mom, I'm leaving.
Barbara Fitts : Okay. Wear a raincoat.
-
[first lines]
Jane Burnham : I need a father who's a role model, not some horny geek-boy who's gonna spray his shorts whenever I bring a girlfriend home from school. What a lame-o. Someone really should just put him out of his misery.
Ricky Fitts : Want me to kill him for you?
Jane Burnham : Yeah. Would you?
-
Jane Burnham : [turning the camera on Ricky] Don't you feel naked?
Ricky Fitts : [looking down, grinning] I am naked.
-
Ricky Fitts : Anything new in the world, Dad?
Colonel Frank Fitts : This country is going straight to hell!
-
Ricky Fitts : Welcome to America's weirdest home videos.
-
Ricky Fitts : I didn't mean to scare you. I just think you're interesting.
-
Ricky Fitts : Forgive me, sir, for speaking so bluntly but those fags make me want to puke my fucking guts out.
Colonel Frank Fitts : [cautiously, after a long pause] Well, me too son. Yeah, me too.
-
Colonel Frank Fitts : You need structure. Yeah? You need discipline.
Ricky Fitts : Yes, sir. Thank you for trying to teach me. Don't give up on me, Dad.
-
Ricky Fitts : I was filming this dead bird.
Angela Hayes : Why?
Ricky Fitts : Because it's beautiful.
-
Jane Burnham : Somebody should just put him out of his misery.
Ricky Fitts : Do you want me to kill him?
Jane Burnham : Yeah, would you?
-
Jane Burnham : [seeing Lester having just been shot] Oh, my God...
Ricky Fitts : [looks at Lester, curiously intrigued] Wow...
-
Ricky Fitts : I'm not obsessing. I'm just curious.
-
Lester Burnham : What is this?
Ricky Fitts : Urine. I have to take a drug test every six months just to make sure I'm clean.
Lester Burnham : Are you kidding? You just smoked with me last night.
Ricky Fitts : It's not mine. One of my clients is a nurse in a pediatrician's office. I cut her a deal. She keeps me in clean piss.
-
Ricky Fitts : How much do you want?
Lester Burnham : I don't know. It's been a while. How much is an ounce?
Ricky Fitts : This is totally decent and it's three hundred.
Lester Burnham : Wow.
Ricky Fitts : This shit is top of the line. It's called G-13. It's genetically engineered by the U.S. government. It's extremely potent but a completely mellow high. No paranoia.
Lester Burnham : Is that what we smoked last night?
Ricky Fitts : This is all I ever smoke.
-
Ricky Fitts : If I had to leave for New York city tonight to live would you come with me?
-
Ricky Fitts : I just do these gigs as a cover.
[raises his joint]
Ricky Fitts : I have other sources of income. But my dad interferes less in my life when I pretend to be an upstanding young citizen with a respectable job.
-
Ricky Fitts : You know, that's not a very nice thing to do... hiring someone to kill your dad.
Jane Burnham : Well, I guess I'm not a very nice girl then, am I?
