Mendes insisted on two weeks of cast rehearsals, although the sessions were not as formal as he was used to in the theater, and the actors could not be present at every one. Several improvisations and suggestions by the actors were incorporated into the script. An early scene showing the Burnhams leaving home for work was inserted later on to show the low point that Carolyn and Lester's relationship had reached. Spacey and Bening worked to create a sense of the love that Lester and Carolyn once had for one another; for example, the scene in which Lester almost seduces Carolyn after the pair argues over Lester's buying a car was originally "strictly contentious".
mendes insisted on two weeks of cast rehearsals although the sessions were not as formal as he was used to in the theater and the actors could not be present at every one several improvisations and suggestions by the actors were incorporated into the script an early scene showing the burnhams leaving home for work was inserted later on to show the low point that carolyn and lester's relationship had reached spacey and bening worked to create a sense of the love that lester and carolyn once had for one another; for example the scene in which lester almost seduces carolyn after the pair argues over lester's buying a car was originally "strictly contentious"