Austin

Austin, an aspiring screenwriter in his early thirties, is burdened by self-deprecation yet driven by creativity. He is immersed in crafting a "simple love story" to secure a film deal with the producer Saul Kimmer. Operating by candlelight in his vacationing mother's home, he infuses a touch of romance into his work. Austin's background is rooted in an Ivy League education, which instills in him middle-class values of rationality, self-discipline, and hard work. These attributes, however, are threatened by the disruptive presence of his brother Lee.

Initially, Austin embodies order and responsibility, reflected in his neat attire of light blue sports shirt, tan cardigan sweater, clean blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. His courteous and understanding nature is shaken as Lee encroaches upon his territory, intensifying sibling envy and repressed hostility. This inciting chaos drives Austin toward insecurity, prompting him to emulate Lee's behavior, speech, and profession.

This transformation marks a departure from Austin's meticulous personality. He abandons his script, succumbs to excessive drinking, and steals all the neighborhood toasters in a reckless bid to outdo Lee's misdeeds. His venture into this chaotic realm reveals a latent inventiveness, previously stifled by his adherence to rationality, as he attempts to capture Lee's wilder proclivities. Faced with this identity crisis, Austin contemplates joining Lee in the desert. When Lee retracts his promise, Austin's civilized facade collapses, laying bare a hidden, murderous violence. The fraternal exchange of traits underscores Austin's struggle between maintaining a structured existence and embracing the allure of adventure.

Lee

Lee, Austin’s older brother, is a tough, menacing figure in his forties, recently emerging from a nomadic desert existence with only a pit bull for company. Lee is scruffily dressed, often in a filthy T-shirt, pink suede belt, tattered overcoat, and shoes with holes, presenting a stark contrast to Austin's tidy appearance. He lacks education and defined goals, embodying a natural, undisciplined lifestyle devoid of visible morality, except regarding their estranged father.

Lee harbors jealousy towards Austin's lifestyle, systematically usurping his brother's space and identity. Despite his lack of formal education, Lee's imagination is unfettered, although he lacks the discipline to productively harness it. During Saul Kimmer's visit, Lee distracts the producer from Austin’s screenplay by pitching his own story set in the "true West." This act of usurpation reveals his ambition for success and legitimacy, though he lacks the skills to transform his ideas into art.

As he glimpses the potential benefits of a disciplined path akin to Austin’s, Lee becomes anxious about success. Despite recognizing the allure of honest achievement, he remains destructive when met with his limitations, particularly as Austin becomes too drunk to assist him in writing the screenplay. Lee's enduring inability to convert his imaginative ideas into a legitimate lifestyle leaves him teetering on the edge of chaos, perpetually at odds with his ambitions and capabilities.

Saul Kimmer

Saul Kimmer is a Hollywood producer in his late forties, epitomizing superficiality. Dressed in loud flowered shirts and polyester pants, he is a caricature of the typical Hollywood figure who thrives by exploiting the creativity of others. Saul’s decisions are driven purely by profit potential, without regard for artistic merit. His mercenary nature is evident when he swiftly redirects his interest from Austin's script to Lee's story, following a round of golf, showcasing his exploitative tendencies.

Saul is portrayed cartoonishly, with attire featuring a pink and white flower print sports coat, matching polyester slacks, and black and white loafers. His cold, unfeeling nature is underscored by Lee's playful misnomer "Mr. Kipper." Saul's amorality aligns with Lee's, as he abandons Austin’s script without hesitation, seduced by Lee’s...