Reign Over Me Quotes
A man who lost his family in the September 11 attack on New York City runs into his old college roommate. Rekindling the friendship is the one thing that appears able to help the man recover from his grief.
Charlie Fineman: [Charlie looks at Alan] I had three daughters.
Alan Johnson: [surprised] I... I know.
Charlie Fineman: Geena was five. Jenny was seven, she, uh... she liked boys already. Julie was 9. She was... she was older. They all looked alike, Johnson. Like Doreen. Doreen was my wife. DT. That was her nickname. Doreen Timpleman. She had a dog, Spider. Spider... the poodle. They'd wake me up all the time, Saturday mornings, you know, singing Beatles songs to me in harmony, the four of them... so cute, so cute. Doreen never judged me... never nagged like some wives do. Wanted me to take my shoes off so I didn't wreck the carpet. That's it. Doreen and the girls were VERY female. I... I... I was the oddball, you know. Mr. Man. They adored me, Johnson...
Alan Johnson: I bet they did... I know they did, Charlie.
Charlie Fineman: With the long brown hair... except little Geena. She kept the hair short... to be different from everybody... she, um, she had a birthmark, though. Looked like a burn... but it wasn't. She always said it was gonna go away, but it... it never did. Jenny, Jenny, this one... she wanted to be a gymnast. She was such a klutz, though. I didn't have the heart to mention it as a problem. They, uh, went to see Doreen's sister Ellen and her girls in Boston, and they took Spider, because... I had to work and they didn't trust me to feed her, but that was a joke. We were all going to DT's little cousin's wedding in Los Angeles, and I was gonna meet them out there... The kids wanted to go to Disneyland, but they... they uh, were already gonna miss a couple days of school, so we had to say no. You know. So I'm going out to meet them in Los Angeles, and on the way to JFK, I'm in a taxicab and I hear on the radio...
[slowly starts to cry]
Charlie Fineman: I get there and the man tells me the plane's from Boston... another man tells me there's two planes.
[sobs]
Charlie Fineman: Then I go inside the airport and I'm watching. I'm watching on the television... and I... and I... I... I saw it. I saw it and I felt it at the same time. I thought about Geena's birthmark, and I... I felt them burning...
Alan Johnson: [surprised] I... I know.
Charlie Fineman: Geena was five. Jenny was seven, she, uh... she liked boys already. Julie was 9. She was... she was older. They all looked alike, Johnson. Like Doreen. Doreen was my wife. DT. That was her nickname. Doreen Timpleman. She had a dog, Spider. Spider... the poodle. They'd wake me up all the time, Saturday mornings, you know, singing Beatles songs to me in harmony, the four of them... so cute, so cute. Doreen never judged me... never nagged like some wives do. Wanted me to take my shoes off so I didn't wreck the carpet. That's it. Doreen and the girls were VERY female. I... I... I was the oddball, you know. Mr. Man. They adored me, Johnson...
Alan Johnson: I bet they did... I know they did, Charlie.
Charlie Fineman: With the long brown hair... except little Geena. She kept the hair short... to be different from everybody... she, um, she had a birthmark, though. Looked like a burn... but it wasn't. She always said it was gonna go away, but it... it never did. Jenny, Jenny, this one... she wanted to be a gymnast. She was such a klutz, though. I didn't have the heart to mention it as a problem. They, uh, went to see Doreen's sister Ellen and her girls in Boston, and they took Spider, because... I had to work and they didn't trust me to feed her, but that was a joke. We were all going to DT's little cousin's wedding in Los Angeles, and I was gonna meet them out there... The kids wanted to go to Disneyland, but they... they uh, were already gonna miss a couple days of school, so we had to say no. You know. So I'm going out to meet them in Los Angeles, and on the way to JFK, I'm in a taxicab and I hear on the radio...
[slowly starts to cry]
Charlie Fineman: I get there and the man tells me the plane's from Boston... another man tells me there's two planes.
[sobs]
Charlie Fineman: Then I go inside the airport and I'm watching. I'm watching on the television... and I... and I... I... I saw it. I saw it and I felt it at the same time. I thought about Geena's birthmark, and I... I felt them burning...
Charlie Fineman: I don't need to talk about her or look at pictures. 'Cause the truth is, a lot of times, I see her, on the street. I walk down the street, I see her in someone else's face. Clearer than any of the pictures you carry with you. I get that you're in pain, but you've got each other. You got each other! And I'm the one who's gotta see her and the girls all the time. Everywhere I go! I even see the dog. That's how fucked up I still am! I look at a German shepherd, I see our goddamn poodle.
[kisses Ginger and walks away]
[kisses Ginger and walks away]
Charlie Fineman: Are you a faggot?.
Alan Johnson: Don't say faggot, you just don't call people faggot that's rude.
Charlie Fineman: To a gay guy it is, to you it's just a funny word like poundcake or pickle... You really need some Mel.
Charlie Fineman: [ordering tickets] Take one adult and one faggot.
Alan Johnson: Don't say faggot, you just don't call people faggot that's rude.
Charlie Fineman: To a gay guy it is, to you it's just a funny word like poundcake or pickle... You really need some Mel.
Charlie Fineman: [ordering tickets] Take one adult and one faggot.
Alan Johnson: [Leaving Angela's office] You OK?
Charlie Fineman: Yeah. Just make sure they never schedule me near that girl, all right? I would... No, it's just I never wanna see her again. That's trouble. She's too good-looking. I just... Nobody has a right to look that good. She's just trouble for everybody.
Charlie Fineman: [laughing] OK, Charlie.
Charlie Fineman: Yeah. Just make sure they never schedule me near that girl, all right? I would... No, it's just I never wanna see her again. That's trouble. She's too good-looking. I just... Nobody has a right to look that good. She's just trouble for everybody.
Charlie Fineman: [laughing] OK, Charlie.
Alan Johnson: Are you having fun?
Charlie Fineman: To tell you the truth, I kinda am, Johnson. I, uh, it's nice to see you in the soup like this. I'm not used to it. Any chance of you getting audited this week? That would make things even better. Or maybe we could go somewhere and you could burn your tongue on some pizza. How would you like that?
Charlie Fineman: To tell you the truth, I kinda am, Johnson. I, uh, it's nice to see you in the soup like this. I'm not used to it. Any chance of you getting audited this week? That would make things even better. Or maybe we could go somewhere and you could burn your tongue on some pizza. How would you like that?
[Charlie is meeting Angela for the first time. Angela goes off to get a cup of coffee]
Charlie Fineman: Are you kidding me? She's a baby.
Alan Johnson: Listen, you're right, she's young. But, she-she's good. She's got a lot of experience with loss and grief counseling. Just...
Charlie Fineman: She's got nice tits, that's not good.
Alan Johnson: Since when?
Charlie Fineman: [pause] Good point.
Alan Johnson: Look, we'll just do the meet-and-greet, and see if you like her, and if you do, we'll just - we'll go from there.
Charlie Fineman: Am I wrong about her tits, though?
Alan Johnson: No, you're right. They're wonderful.
Angela Oakhurst: So what are you guys talking about? What's so wonderful?
[silence from Charlie and Alan]
Charlie Fineman: Are you kidding me? She's a baby.
Alan Johnson: Listen, you're right, she's young. But, she-she's good. She's got a lot of experience with loss and grief counseling. Just...
Charlie Fineman: She's got nice tits, that's not good.
Alan Johnson: Since when?
Charlie Fineman: [pause] Good point.
Alan Johnson: Look, we'll just do the meet-and-greet, and see if you like her, and if you do, we'll just - we'll go from there.
Charlie Fineman: Am I wrong about her tits, though?
Alan Johnson: No, you're right. They're wonderful.
Angela Oakhurst: So what are you guys talking about? What's so wonderful?
[silence from Charlie and Alan]
[first lines]
Melanie: New patient?
New Dental Patient: Yes, I was referred by my lawyer about veneers.
[big grin]
Melanie: You're a new patient, that's all I need to know. Fill this out so we know who to contact in case we loose you in the chair.
New Dental Patient: [speechless]
Melanie: That was a joke, sweetie, I was being funny.
[abruptly slides the window closed]
Melanie: New patient?
New Dental Patient: Yes, I was referred by my lawyer about veneers.
[big grin]
Melanie: You're a new patient, that's all I need to know. Fill this out so we know who to contact in case we loose you in the chair.
New Dental Patient: [speechless]
Melanie: That was a joke, sweetie, I was being funny.
[abruptly slides the window closed]
Angela Oakhurst: I disagree strongly with that finding. Your Honor, I think that Charlie needs to find his own way. Not on our time, but on Charlie's time, and I think that will happen. He'll find people that will fill his life again. Not today, but soon... slowly.
Mr. Fallon: Can I just ask a question about your life experience in regard to this long-term illness? I'm curious, how old are you?
Charlie Fineman: What does that have to do with anything?
Judge Raines: Dr. Fineman...
Charlie Fineman: That question sucks, your Honor.
Mr. Fallon: It's actually a good question.
Charlie Fineman: No, no, no! It sucks. It sucks. You know if we're gonna talk about age... he's gotta go to little league practice.
Mr. Fallon: Can I just ask a question about your life experience in regard to this long-term illness? I'm curious, how old are you?
Charlie Fineman: What does that have to do with anything?
Judge Raines: Dr. Fineman...
Charlie Fineman: That question sucks, your Honor.
Mr. Fallon: It's actually a good question.
Charlie Fineman: No, no, no! It sucks. It sucks. You know if we're gonna talk about age... he's gotta go to little league practice.
Alan Johnson: You know, my wife and I, we tried to call him so many times. Hadn't seen him in years, and I erad about what happened in the paper, and I was just... I was just heartbroken for him. For them.
Ginger Timpleman: He just shut down. Quit work. He stopped wanting to talk about her. Then he acted like he didn't remember them. Then he pretended he didn't remember us.
Alan Johnson: Yeah.
Ginger Timpleman: All my husband and I want to do is see him. And that crazy landlady and his business manager, Sugarman, both conspire to keep us away.
Alan Johnson: Sugarman?
Ginger Timpleman: Yeah, I don't care for him. Who knows what that little shyster's taking from Charlie.
Alan Johnson: What is there to take?
Ginger Timpleman: Between the government payout and the insurance policy, Charlie has enough to take care of himself, put it that way. My husband retired young. He was a cop. We were young, young to be grandparents. I was gonna do nothing but travel and spoil my granddaughters. Then those monsters flew over here from across the world, and rearranged my dance card.
Ginger Timpleman: He just shut down. Quit work. He stopped wanting to talk about her. Then he acted like he didn't remember them. Then he pretended he didn't remember us.
Alan Johnson: Yeah.
Ginger Timpleman: All my husband and I want to do is see him. And that crazy landlady and his business manager, Sugarman, both conspire to keep us away.
Alan Johnson: Sugarman?
Ginger Timpleman: Yeah, I don't care for him. Who knows what that little shyster's taking from Charlie.
Alan Johnson: What is there to take?
Ginger Timpleman: Between the government payout and the insurance policy, Charlie has enough to take care of himself, put it that way. My husband retired young. He was a cop. We were young, young to be grandparents. I was gonna do nothing but travel and spoil my granddaughters. Then those monsters flew over here from across the world, and rearranged my dance card.
Charlie Fineman: [Charlie, Alan and Nigel are all eating at a diner. Charlie is well aware of what Nigel really is; a therapist. He continues to ask questions toward Nigel] I noticed in the record store, you were holding up a Bob Seger album. You a Seger man, Nigel?
Nigel Pennington: [Brief pause] Love Seger, yes.
Charlie Fineman: Yeah. Smokin' O.p's, Mongrel... When'd you get into him?
Nigel Pennington: [Looks down and looks back at Charlie] Probably later.
Charlie Fineman: Silver Bullet, or Seger System?
Nigel Pennington: Well, actually, I-I don't like either of those albums.
Charlie Fineman: That's funny, 'cause they're not albums. Those are his bands.
[Alan looks down at the realization that Charlie knows Nigel is a therapist and that Nigel lied to him]
Charlie Fineman: Seger's an artist. A genius. An American original. And what are *you*, Nigel? A therapist? Is that it? You're sizing me up. You're on the case, now you're gonna *fix* me?
Nigel Pennington: No, look, I was out for a... a nice afternoon; I ran into my old friend...
Charlie Fineman: Oh, bullshit! You *stink* like a shrink. You got shrink hands. You ordered your salad like a shrink.
Alan Johnson: Okay, let's stop. This was my mistake.
Nigel Pennington: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, this is good.
Alan Johnson: No, no, it was my mista...
Nigel Pennington: No, a-a-a-and... how does a shrink order his salad?
Alan Johnson: Don't, Nigel.
Nigel Pennington: In your opinion, I'd like to know.
Charlie Fineman: [Immediately stands off his chair and confronts Nigel. He tightens his hands, and tenses his shoulders as he stands over him] Let's go outside right now. I'm gonna beat your ass. I will BEAT your ass, shrink wrap!
[People in the diner wearily look over]
Charlie Fineman: "Seger fan?" You'd get you ass kicked in a fucking Seger concert!
Alan Johnson: Charlie - !
Charlie Fineman: Get the fuck up! Get up! I made you in the record store the minute I saw your dorky face. OUTSIDE!
Alan Johnson: Okay, Charlie. Calm down.
Charlie Fineman: [Charlie's breath becomes heavy after unleashing his rage toward Nigel. He looks at Alan and stares at him; it was then that he realized, Alan planned the whole meeting with Nigel. Feeling betrayed and lied to, he makes his way out of the diner by storming through the now silent eatery] You liar!
[He then swung the glass door open and left]
Nigel Pennington: [Brief pause] Love Seger, yes.
Charlie Fineman: Yeah. Smokin' O.p's, Mongrel... When'd you get into him?
Nigel Pennington: [Looks down and looks back at Charlie] Probably later.
Charlie Fineman: Silver Bullet, or Seger System?
Nigel Pennington: Well, actually, I-I don't like either of those albums.
Charlie Fineman: That's funny, 'cause they're not albums. Those are his bands.
[Alan looks down at the realization that Charlie knows Nigel is a therapist and that Nigel lied to him]
Charlie Fineman: Seger's an artist. A genius. An American original. And what are *you*, Nigel? A therapist? Is that it? You're sizing me up. You're on the case, now you're gonna *fix* me?
Nigel Pennington: No, look, I was out for a... a nice afternoon; I ran into my old friend...
Charlie Fineman: Oh, bullshit! You *stink* like a shrink. You got shrink hands. You ordered your salad like a shrink.
Alan Johnson: Okay, let's stop. This was my mistake.
Nigel Pennington: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, this is good.
Alan Johnson: No, no, it was my mista...
Nigel Pennington: No, a-a-a-and... how does a shrink order his salad?
Alan Johnson: Don't, Nigel.
Nigel Pennington: In your opinion, I'd like to know.
Charlie Fineman: [Immediately stands off his chair and confronts Nigel. He tightens his hands, and tenses his shoulders as he stands over him] Let's go outside right now. I'm gonna beat your ass. I will BEAT your ass, shrink wrap!
[People in the diner wearily look over]
Charlie Fineman: "Seger fan?" You'd get you ass kicked in a fucking Seger concert!
Alan Johnson: Charlie - !
Charlie Fineman: Get the fuck up! Get up! I made you in the record store the minute I saw your dorky face. OUTSIDE!
Alan Johnson: Okay, Charlie. Calm down.
Charlie Fineman: [Charlie's breath becomes heavy after unleashing his rage toward Nigel. He looks at Alan and stares at him; it was then that he realized, Alan planned the whole meeting with Nigel. Feeling betrayed and lied to, he makes his way out of the diner by storming through the now silent eatery] You liar!
[He then swung the glass door open and left]
Angela Oakhurst: Charlie, before you go, I'd like to say something. Look, the fact is you had a family and you suffered a great loss, and until you discuss that and we can really talk about that, this is all just an exercise. I can be patient, Charlie, but you need to tell someone your story. It doesn't have to be me, but someone.
