Movie Line that Taught Me Something

[Overpaid Slacker]

OK, it's kitschy, and at my age, I should probably know this.

The 'Slack, waiting at my desk today to close the hyoooojest deal my firm's ever done, pulled up Evan Almighty, and while watching it, listening in on a teleconference I'd muted, came this line.

It requires context, and, frankly, imagining Morgan Freeman (as God) delivering it:

Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient?

If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous?

If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?

Life changing? For those (most) of you who are more mature than I am, probably not. For me ... it may be. Which may be sad; but it'd be more sad never to have thought of it that way.

Best,

JP

[Laneco]

I watched that movie twice on trans continental flights. Each time, I was oddly struck by the same statement you show above. It was an unexpected jewel of logic that appeared in an otherwise rather clownish movie.

Rather like the writer had an epiphany in the midst of the slapstick.

angela

[lfot]

I'll play along:

God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shiite we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.

- Tyler Durden, Fight Club

[nostatic]

now quit badmouthing hollywood and get back to work

[CJFusco]

Maybe not a line from a movie, per se, but the "point" of the movie GARDEN STATE really got to me: sometimes life hurts like hell, but that is much preferrable to being numb, because being numb isn't living.

[bell]

Originally Posted by Overpaid Slacker

Which may be sad; but it'd be more sad never to have thought of it that way.

Best,

JP

maybe morgan freeman was giving you the opportunity to be sad by enlightening you

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by CJFusco

GARDEN STATE

good gawd, one of the worst movies I saw this year

[Porsche-O-Phile]

From "Office Space" - "it's like the first day of prison - you either kick someone's ass or become someone's b*tch".

[CJFusco]

Originally Posted by nostatic

good gawd, one of the worst movies I saw this year

I think it's a generational thing. What is poignant to one age group seems pointless to another.

[aap1966]

"A man's got to know his limitations"


Harry Callahan, Magnum Force


Best philosophical line I've heard in a Movie. Appeals as some twits I work with don't, and I see the harm that does.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by CJFusco

I think it's a generational thing. What is poignant to one age group seems pointless to another.

no, I think self-indulgent tripe transcends generations

I actually like Zach Braff, but I *really* didn't care for the film. Maybe I watched if on the wrong night...

[masraum]

Occasionally reading books, or watching movies I pick up little gems that make me wonder if the writer got really lucky, or if they are just that smart or profound.

I don't know if that line was one of those "deep thoughts", but it also got my attention when I watched the movie, which I thought was pretty good, better than Bruce Almighty, actually.


I had a thought once (yep, just the one). I had been laid off and was working in a crummy job, but it was paying the bills. The customers that I was serving mostly sucked and the environment sucked. I hated the job, but you do what you have to do. One night, the customers were particularly annoying me and I was particularly hating the job. And then I had a thought. I thought that I need to change my attitude, be more humble, less superior, and more tolerant. No matter how many problems someone has or what your impression is of the person, they can always teach you something. There's always something that you can learn from everyone. And if you imagine that everyone can teach you something, then your attitude towards that person should reflect that they can be your teacher.

Maybe some of you agree, maybe not.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by masraum

And then I had a thought. I thought that I need to change my attitude, be more humble, less superior, and more tolerant. No matter how many problems someone has or what your impression is of the person, they can always teach you something. There's always something that you can learn from everyone. And if you imagine that everyone can teach you something, then your attitude towards that person should reflect that they can be your teacher.

And then you smacked the jerk-off customer?

[911Rob]

"Sometimes your best just isn't ****** good enough!"

"Yippee Cayeh Mother FKer"
"Come and meet my lil sista"

and whatever Mel Gibson said just before the fight in braveheart.

[911Rob]

OK, they haven't made the movie yet?

[frogger]

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!," Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

[lendaddy]

"I have an M.D. from Harvard. I am board certified in cardiothoracic medicine and trauma surgery. I have been awarded citations from seven different medical boards in New England, and I am never, ever sick at sea. So I ask you: When someone goes into that chapel and they fall on their knees and they pray to God that their wife doesn't miscarry, or that their daughter doesn't bleed to death, or that their mother doesn't suffer acute neural trauma from postoperative shock, who do you think they're praying to? Now, go ahead and read your Bible, Dennis! And you go to your church, and, with any luck, you might win the annual raffle, but if you're looking for God, he was in operating room number two on November seventeenth, and he doesn't like to be second guessed. You ask me if I have a God complex? Let me tell you something -- I am God!"

Alec Baldwin-Malice

[legion]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

From "Office Space" - "it's like the first day of prison - you either kick someone's ass or become someone's b*tch".

My favorite from Office Space:

Peter Gibbons: So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.

Dr. Swanson: What about today? Is today the worst day of your life?

Peter Gibbons: Yeah.

Dr. Swanson: Wow, that's messed up.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by masraum

Occasionally reading books, or watching movies I pick up little gems that make me wonder if the writer got really lucky, or if they are just that smart or profound.

...... And then I had a thought....No matter how many problems someone has or what your impression is of the person, they can always teach you something. There's always something that you can learn from everyone.

Maybe some of you agree, maybe not.

I agree. It is annoying as hell that it is true, but I believe it is.

It has taken me a long time to really get this.

I was going to post a bit about what my elderly mother has taught me but decided to start a new thread about the things you learn as you grow older.

As for movies: I went through a divorce from my childhood sweetheart after 20 years of what I thought was a largely happy marriage. She came home one day and wanted out. Some of you that "know" me here know this has profoundly effected me/my life as I have mentioned it here before.

I was hurt, I was financially ruined, I was heartbroken and bitter all at the same time. I saw the Tom Hanks' movie "Cast Away" (anyone else notice the title is NOT "Castaway"?) I won't get these quotes exactly correct but words to the effect, "I am so sad I've lost Jenny but I'm so glad I had her on that island". He also says something like, "I learned I have to stay alive because the sun will rise, and you never know what the tide will bring..."

For me it was a bit of a revelation. I was really, really sad and upset that my marriage ended but I was glad I had it. I have two wonderful grown children from it and many happy memories. There were very bleak times there for awhile but my life now is good. I have an old house I am fixing up. I have a beautiful woman that loves me, I have a nice old Porsche I have fixed up. My life is good.

[DaveE]

Not very profound, especially from an 'archangel', but I like it and repeat it often:

"You can never eat too much sugar".