In the Bedroom Quotes
A New England couple's college-aged son dates an older woman who has two small children and an unwelcome ex-husband.
Matt: Do you wanna know why our son is dead? Do you really wanna know? He went there not because of me. He was with her not because of me. He went there because of you. Because you are so controlling, so overbearing, so angry, that he was it! That he was our only son!
Ruth: That is not true!
Matt: Oh, yes it is. Yes, it is. Ever since he was little, you were telling him how he was wrong. I remember, one time you yanked him out of a little league game and sent him home, for throwing his glove in the dirt. He was what? Nine years old. Everything he did was wrong. Well, what was wrong with him, Ruth? You are so unforgiving. You are. That's what he said. And now you're pulling the same shit with me, and that's a horrible way to be. It's a horrible. You're bitter, Ruth. And you can point your finger all you want at me, but you better take a damn good look at yourself first.
Ruth: That is not true!
Matt: Oh, yes it is. Yes, it is. Ever since he was little, you were telling him how he was wrong. I remember, one time you yanked him out of a little league game and sent him home, for throwing his glove in the dirt. He was what? Nine years old. Everything he did was wrong. Well, what was wrong with him, Ruth? You are so unforgiving. You are. That's what he said. And now you're pulling the same shit with me, and that's a horrible way to be. It's a horrible. You're bitter, Ruth. And you can point your finger all you want at me, but you better take a damn good look at yourself first.
Matt: [pulls out hamburger buns from paper bag] Oh, Ruth hates these.
Willis Grinnel: What?
Matt: I got the wrong kind of buns.
Willis Grinnel: Maybe we can borrow hers.
[points towards Natalie, who is bending over and feeding Duncan]
Willis Grinnel: Ah, what I would give to have back my youth.
Matt: Yeah, well, Willis, you never had that in your youth.
Willis Grinnel: What?
Matt: I got the wrong kind of buns.
Willis Grinnel: Maybe we can borrow hers.
[points towards Natalie, who is bending over and feeding Duncan]
Willis Grinnel: Ah, what I would give to have back my youth.
Matt: Yeah, well, Willis, you never had that in your youth.
Natalie: [walks up to Ruth] Oh, I was hoping we could talk.
[pauses]
Natalie: I wanted to tell you how truly sorry I am
[pauses again]
Natalie: and if there's ever anything I can ever do... to-to talk with you.
[long pause]
Natalie: [Ruth hits Natalie across the face, Natalie screams, and Ruth goes back to work, and Natalie walks off in shock and sadness]
[pauses]
Natalie: I wanted to tell you how truly sorry I am
[pauses again]
Natalie: and if there's ever anything I can ever do... to-to talk with you.
[long pause]
Natalie: [Ruth hits Natalie across the face, Natalie screams, and Ruth goes back to work, and Natalie walks off in shock and sadness]
Richard: Did you see my new rig out there?
Natalie: It's nice.
Richard: It's not exactly new, I traded David the truck for it. It's got room for all of us. Good grocery-getting car. Hey, do you wanna take a ride?
Natalie: Richard... you don't change. You don't change, do you?
Richard: Change? No, I don't change. Everything around me changes. You change. You take my house... and you take my kids... and you fuck this other guy. But me, no, I don't change.
Natalie: It's nice.
Richard: It's not exactly new, I traded David the truck for it. It's got room for all of us. Good grocery-getting car. Hey, do you wanna take a ride?
Natalie: Richard... you don't change. You don't change, do you?
Richard: Change? No, I don't change. Everything around me changes. You change. You take my house... and you take my kids... and you fuck this other guy. But me, no, I don't change.
Natalie: [Frank plays with blocks while Natalie relaxes in a beach chair] Hey... You know I've been ignoring our difference in age but you keep playing with those blocks, I'm gonna start to worry.
Frank Fowler: You're not looking at the house. Look.
[Natalie moves closer to Frank]
Frank Fowler: It's not all mine, it's part Mack. See, the whole idea of what Mack was trying to achieve was a common area in the center of the house. I mean, large, open spaces- they weren't unique to Mack but the idea of seperating the family so that the parents were on one side and the kids on the other, so... they'll all spill into the center. It's... brilliant. I'm boring you, aren't I?
Natalie: [shakes her head] No. I was just thinking.
Frank Fowler: About what?
Natalie: About you. School.
Frank Fowler: What if I wait another year?
Natalie: Frank...
Frank Fowler: A year is not going to make...
Natalie: [shakes her head] No. You can't do that, Frank.
Frank Fowler: Why not? I have thought a lot about this. I have, and...
Natalie: No. You told me it takes forever to establish yourself.
Frank Fowler: Exactly. So, what's a year in forever?
Natalie: [pauses] It's twisted logic.
[starts to laugh]
Frank Fowler: You know what Duncan said to me today?
Natalie: Oh, you wouldn't be changing the subject, would you?
Frank Fowler: He said, "Frank, I don't think Jason really understands girls."
Natalie: Oh, he didn't.
[laughs]
Frank Fowler: "Understands girls".
Natalie: Well, what'd you say?
Frank Fowler: I didn't know what to say to that. I said... I said "give him time, Duncan, he'll come around." If this is how he is now, then we're in trouble.
[long pause]
Frank Fowler: What is this, Action Man?
Natalie: Yeah. Richard gave it to Dunc for his birthday.
[Richard pulls up]
Frank Fowler: You're not looking at the house. Look.
[Natalie moves closer to Frank]
Frank Fowler: It's not all mine, it's part Mack. See, the whole idea of what Mack was trying to achieve was a common area in the center of the house. I mean, large, open spaces- they weren't unique to Mack but the idea of seperating the family so that the parents were on one side and the kids on the other, so... they'll all spill into the center. It's... brilliant. I'm boring you, aren't I?
Natalie: [shakes her head] No. I was just thinking.
Frank Fowler: About what?
Natalie: About you. School.
Frank Fowler: What if I wait another year?
Natalie: Frank...
Frank Fowler: A year is not going to make...
Natalie: [shakes her head] No. You can't do that, Frank.
Frank Fowler: Why not? I have thought a lot about this. I have, and...
Natalie: No. You told me it takes forever to establish yourself.
Frank Fowler: Exactly. So, what's a year in forever?
Natalie: [pauses] It's twisted logic.
[starts to laugh]
Frank Fowler: You know what Duncan said to me today?
Natalie: Oh, you wouldn't be changing the subject, would you?
Frank Fowler: He said, "Frank, I don't think Jason really understands girls."
Natalie: Oh, he didn't.
[laughs]
Frank Fowler: "Understands girls".
Natalie: Well, what'd you say?
Frank Fowler: I didn't know what to say to that. I said... I said "give him time, Duncan, he'll come around." If this is how he is now, then we're in trouble.
[long pause]
Frank Fowler: What is this, Action Man?
Natalie: Yeah. Richard gave it to Dunc for his birthday.
[Richard pulls up]
Henry: [both characters talking to Jason] Best part of the cod. The outsiders, they won't touch it. Summer fisherman, well, they're part-timers like Frank here; get in your hair. As many as 80 of them now with licenses. Hmm! Should have put up a sign. Stay in your own backyard, or lose your traps.
Frank Fowler: See, Henry here is just sore 'cause I catch twice as much as he does with an old second-hand Bordreau.
Henry: Now, don't you listen to him, son. That boat is fine. She was my first. I kinda miss her, sometimes. And that truck you're driving. When are you headed back to school, Frank?
[both Henry and Frank start laughing while Jason looks at Frank with sadness in his face about Frank having to leave]
Frank Fowler: See, Henry here is just sore 'cause I catch twice as much as he does with an old second-hand Bordreau.
Henry: Now, don't you listen to him, son. That boat is fine. She was my first. I kinda miss her, sometimes. And that truck you're driving. When are you headed back to school, Frank?
[both Henry and Frank start laughing while Jason looks at Frank with sadness in his face about Frank having to leave]
Matt: [greets Frank on the dock] How'd you pull?
Frank Fowler: Not too bad, about 40 pounds.
Matt: I haven't caught sight of you in days.
Frank Fowler: You know where to find me.
Matt: When are you coming home?
Frank Fowler: Has it come to this?
Matt: Come to what?
Frank Fowler: You having to run errands for Mom.
[Matt laughs silently]
Frank Fowler: I'm thinking of building a couple hundred more traps. See if can do better than break even.
Matt: It'll take you more than two years to get a license to fish off-season.
Frank Fowler: Right. Unless Henry takes me on as his sternman.
Matt: Do you think he would do that?
Frank Fowler: Maybe. It's as good a life as any. It was good enough for your father, and sometimes things just skip a generation.
Matt: You don't think... You don't think that you might need something more?
Frank Fowler: Why... so I can have an Ivy League education like you, and... Christ, if it's so great, how come you sneak out of your office every day to come down here?
Matt: I like spending time with my son.
Frank Fowler: Uh-huh.
[Matt sits down next to Frank]
Frank Fowler: I don't know, Dad. It's just- I don't know. She is a wonderful girl, and that's what I see.
Frank Fowler: Not too bad, about 40 pounds.
Matt: I haven't caught sight of you in days.
Frank Fowler: You know where to find me.
Matt: When are you coming home?
Frank Fowler: Has it come to this?
Matt: Come to what?
Frank Fowler: You having to run errands for Mom.
[Matt laughs silently]
Frank Fowler: I'm thinking of building a couple hundred more traps. See if can do better than break even.
Matt: It'll take you more than two years to get a license to fish off-season.
Frank Fowler: Right. Unless Henry takes me on as his sternman.
Matt: Do you think he would do that?
Frank Fowler: Maybe. It's as good a life as any. It was good enough for your father, and sometimes things just skip a generation.
Matt: You don't think... You don't think that you might need something more?
Frank Fowler: Why... so I can have an Ivy League education like you, and... Christ, if it's so great, how come you sneak out of your office every day to come down here?
Matt: I like spending time with my son.
Frank Fowler: Uh-huh.
[Matt sits down next to Frank]
Frank Fowler: I don't know, Dad. It's just- I don't know. She is a wonderful girl, and that's what I see.
