True West is about the sibling rivalry between two estranged brothers who have reconnected. Austin, the younger brother, is a Hollywood screenwriter writing a screenplay while house sitting for his mother, who is vacationing in Alaska. His older brother, Lee, appears at the house after the two have not seen each other for years. Lee is a drifter and thief and has been living in the desert. The two are not on good terms, but Austin attempts to appease his older brother, who is more dominant.
The play starts out with the two characters, Austin and Lee, sitting in their mom’s house-this is the first time they’ve seen one another in five years. We learn that their Mom is on vacation in Alaska and Austin is house-sitting for her. Austin is trying to work on his screenplay but Lee continually distracts him with non-sense questions. The two brothers seem on edge with one another and at one point Austin suggests Lee leaves but Lee threatens to steal things from their mother’s neighborhood. Austin tries to calm him down and the night ends with the two of them on neutral terms.
Austin and Lee sit in their mother’s house and Lee talks about the security level of their mother’s house, and how Lee went into the desert to find their dad. Austin then tells Lee that he needs to leave the house because a film producer is coming by to look at Austin’s screenplay about a “period piece.” Lee says he will leave if Austin gives him the keys to his car. Austin is reluctant at first but eventually gives Lee the keys to his car and Lee promises that he will have it back by six. Lee departs.
Saul and Austin have a conversation discussing the agreement they have made when Lee suddenly walks in with a stolen television set. Saul and Lee start up a conversation about golfing and make plans to go the next day. Austin is embarrassed because he does not know how to play golf, and he also does not want Lee to be involved in the relationship he has with Saul. Lee proposes a script idea to Saul and Saul likes it.
Austin begins writing Lee’s story as he tells it out loud. Austin stops Lee and tells him that his story is bad because it doesn’t resemble real life. The two brothers begin to fight and eventually Austin asks Lee for his car keys back. Lee assumes this means Austin is trying to kick him out, and Lee makes the point that he can’t be kicked out. Austin says he wouldn’t kick him out because he’s his brother, and Lee suggests that being brothers means nothing because in family murders are the most common. Austin says they couldn’t be driven to murder over a movie script. The two admit to being jealous of each other’s lives, and Austin kindly returns the car keys. The scene closes with Austin typing Lee’s story again.
Lee returning from his game of golf with Saul. He continues to tell Austin that Saul is going to give him an advance and continue with his idea from the outline that Austin had written for him. They begin celebrating but the celebration comes to a halt when Lee informs Austin that he is going to also be writing the screenplay for his idea. Austin questions this knowing he has his own work to be completed but Lee continues to inform him that Saul has chosen to drop Austin's idea for a screen play and just continue forward with his own idea. Austin informs Lee that he needs to be careful with who he messes with in this line of work and tells Lee that he has a lot at stake on his own project. The scene ends with Austin threatening to leave and go to the desert as Lee tries to calm him down before the lights go out and the scene ends.
Austin confronts Saul about his decision to buy Lee’s screenplay. He argues that Saul only offered to buy the screenplay because he lost a bet. Saul wants Austin to write both his and Lee’s story but Austin refuses to do both. Austin thinks that Lee’s story is illegitimate and not relevant to the time period. Due to Austin’s rejection to the job, Saul decides to drop Austin’s story and to find a different writer for Lee’s story. The scene ends with Saul making plans for lunch with Lee and then exiting.
Austin is drunk and annoying Lee, who is now the one trying to concentrate and create a screenplay. Lee makes a bet with Austin and Austin appears to be going crazy. Austin resolves to leave the house and they continue to bicker about the authenticity of Lee's ability as a screen writer. Lee finally gets frustrated and asks for Austin's help writing the script and starts drinking with him.
Austin is polishing toasters that he stole while Lee is smashing a typewriter early in the morning. The two continue to do this while they are carrying on a conversation. Austin is proud of what he has done. Lee wants to see a woman, but Austin refuses because he is married. Lee throws a fit while on the phone with the operator because he cannot find a pen to write down what the operator is saying. Austin begs Lee to go to the desert with him because he thinks there is nothing for him where he is. The brothers make a deal that Austin will write the play for Lee if Lee takes him to the desert.
In the final scene, the house is ransacked and Lee and Austin are working vigorously on their script. The mom comes in and Lee first takes notice to her. She seems confused by her son’s appearances and the state of her house. Austin tells her that he and Lee are going to take off into the desert, but then Lee says they might have to postpone the trip. He doesn’t think Austin is cut out for the desert life-style. Austin gets upset and starts strangling Lee. The mother is in disarray and storms out of the house. Austin finally lets go of Lee, and is worried for a second that he’s killed his brother. As Austin moves for the door, Lee rises. The two brothers face one another as the lights fade.
