He could never play straight 'n' narrow heroes and probably has enough sense not to try. He's rarely played a character who wasn't hiding something. In other hands, the complex character of Lester might have been played as buffoon or irredeemable satyr. Mr. Spacey captures all of Lester's nuances. We see the man he once was and the man he is now, a shadow of his former self, but still capable of one final gallant act.
Few actors handle biting dialogue so skillfully.
Lester lusts after Angela, his teenage daughter's semi-best friend. This is tricky territory for any actor, and Mr. Spacey makes Lester's obsession seem pathetic and ludicrous. It disturbs audiences because Lester invites our empathy much more than Humbert Humbert in ''Lolita.'' It would be so reassuring if we didn't identify with any of Mr. Spacey's characters, but his acting makes that an impossible luxury. Both actors are superb. But Lester has more layers, and Mr. Spacey is superb at subtext.