Lester, a suburban dad, was bored stiff by his job and emotionally disconnected from his family. At 42, he began chasing freedom in impulsive, adolescent ways. He quit his job to pump iron in his garage and pursued a crush on his daughter’s teenage friend. Lester’s lust and defiance made him feel alive again, but his risky behavior led to tragedy. Sound familiar? It’s the plot of the 1999 movie American Beauty . Along with many other pop-culture portrayals , the film’s vision of middle-age as a