Lester Burnham (American Beauty)

"It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about." (American Beauty)

Lester Burnham (played by Kevin Spacey) is the protagonist of American Beauty (1999). Lester is a classic archetype of a directionless, middle-management family man, whose wife and daughter both resent him in different ways. After falling in (what seems to be) love with his daughter's friend, Lester goes on a journey of self-realisation and discovery in order to get his self-image and perception back on track.

One of the heaviest themes in American Beauty is that of "the true self." Every main character in the film comes to terms with who they truly are, whether it be through teen angst, overcoming a midlife crisis, or relinquishing a lifelong denial. Lester, however, breaks through his rut through sheer force of will. Lester realises he's worth more than that to which he's amounted, and works tirelessly to reach his full potential. He accomplishes physical and emotional feats, such as constant exercise and overcoming his oppressive boss, simply by realising that he owes himself more. Socrates is often quoted as saying "No citizen has a right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training… what a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable." It is as though Lester embraces this quote, while also transcending it, applying it to all facets of his life and becoming an objectively better person in all regards, showing that anyone can realise who they are and what they're worth through pure determination.