American Beauty (1999 film) as Lester and Angela get closer, finally taking the roses—and thus Carolyn—out of the shot. Lester's epiphany at the end of the film is expressed by rain and the use of red, building to a crescendo that is a deliberate contrast to the release Lester feels. The constant use of red "lulls [the audience] subliminally" into becoming used to it; consequently, it leaves the audience unprepared when Lester is shot and his blood spatters on the wall. Pennington argues that "American Beauty" defines its characters through their sexuality. Lester's attempts to relive his youth are a direct result of his
Ron Lester movie "Good Burger" in 1997. In 1999 Lester played the role of Billy Bob in the film Varsity Blues, which would become the role he is most known for. That year he also recurring roles on two TV drama comedies, "Freaks and Geeks" and "￼￼Popular". ￼He also appeared in "Not Another Teen Movie", which parodied his role in "Varsity Blues". In 2001, Lester underwent gastric bypass surgery, losing . Obese since childhood, at his heaviest, he weighed . According to interviews, he flatlined during the operation. After the gastric bypass, he had 18 plastic surgeries to remove excess skin. In