I Am Sam (2001)

Michelle Pfeiffer: Rita

Photos 

Quotes 

• Rita : I just don't know what to call you: retarded, mentally retarded, mentally handicapped, mentally disabled, intellectually handicapped, intellectually disabled, developementally disabled...

  Sam : You can call me Sam.

• Rita : Now, Ms. Cossell, in all the time that you've known them, have you ever questioned Sam's ability as a father?

  Annie : Never.

  Rita : Never?

  Annie : Never. Look at Lucy. She's strong. She displays true empathy for people, all kinds of people. I know that you all think she's as smart as she is despite him, but it's because of him.

  Rita : So what you're saying is you don't worry about Lucy's future?

  Annie : No, I do.

  Rita : Ah...

  Annie : I worry all the time. I worry if they take Lucy away from her father they will take away an enormous piece of her, and I worry that she will spend the rest of her life trying to fill that hole.

• Sam : Yeah, but I tried, I tried hard.

  Rita : Try harder!

  Sam : Yeah, but you don't know, you don't know!

  Rita : I don't know WHAT?

  Sam : Yeah, you don't know what is like when you try, and you try, and you try, and you try, and you don't ever get there! Because you were born perfect and I was born like this, and you're perfect!

  Rita : Oh, is that right?

  Sam : People like you don't know...

  Rita : People like me?

  Sam : People like you don't know what is like to get hurted. Because you don't have feelings. People like you don't feel anything!

• Rita : You think you've got the market cornered on human suffering? Let me tell you something about people like me. People like me feel lost, and little, and ugly, and dispensable. People like me have husbands, screwing other people far more perfect than me. People like me have sons who hate them. And I've screamed, I've screamed horrible things at him, at a 7 year old because he doesn't want to get in the car at the end of the day! And then he looks at me with such anger and I hate him then! I know I'm failing you! I know I'm disappointing you! I know you deserve better but get in the fucking car! It's like every morning I wake up and, I fail. And I look around and everybody seems to be pulling it off, but I-I-I can't! No matter how hard I try. Somehow, I'll never be enough.

• Sam : Lucy doesn't need me anymore. She has a new family now... and she doesn't need me anymore.

  Rita : Is that what she said?

  Sam : It's because I know that. Because I just know that.

  Rita : Well. That's the first stupid thing I've ever heard you say.

• Rita : Sam, I worry. I worry sometimes.

  Sam : Yeah... do you worry that you did something wrong?

  Rita : No. I worry that I've gotten more out of this relationship than you.

• Sam : You think what they think.

  Rita : It doesn't matter what I think. It matters that we win.

  Sam : No, you think what they think. You think Sam can't take care of Lucy!

  Rita : Sam, it doesn't matter what I think!

  Sam : It matters to me!

• Rita : You answer in one sentence.

  Ifty : I answer in one sentence. Short and sweet. Tim Curry was a "Sweet Tranvestite" in the 'Rocky Horror Picture Show'

  Rita : You better make that one word.

• Rita : Can you grasp the concept of manipulating the truth... not lying, just a little tweak here and there?

  Sam : [thinks for a few seconds]  No.

• Rita : Home.

  Phone Voice : Dialing office.

  Rita : HOME!

  Phone Voice : Dialing office.

  Rita : HOME, GODDAMN IT!

  Phone Voice : Dialing Dr. Sloan.

• Rita : Sam, I can go at least another nine rounds, but you got to let me in.

• Sam : YOU'RE MY LAWYER!

  Rita : That's right.

  Sam : OKAY!

• Rita : [pounding her hands]  Sam, you gotta be firm on this.

• Rita : It's just... I've never lost at anything.

• Rita : It's like every morning I wake up and I FAIL!

• [in Rita's car] 

  Rita : On the Porsche the door handle is a little hidden by that thingamajig, so if you're having trouble finding it...

  Annie : NO!

  Sam : Ok, I think maybe Annie's not exactly ready to go yet.

• Rita : Where is your father?

  Willy Harrison : Where do you think?