Garden State (2004)

Ian Holm: Gideon Largeman

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Quotes 

• Andrew Largeman : I was a little boy and somebody made a shitty latch. That's what I think. That's what I think about the whole thing, OK? And I'm not gonna take those drugs anymore, because they have left me completely fucking numb. I have felt so fucking numb to everything I have experienced in my life, OK? And for that... for that I'm here to forgive you. You've always said that all you wanted was for us to have whatever it is we wanted, right? Well, maybe, what Mom wanted more then anything is for it to all be over, and for me, what I want more then anything in the world, is for it to be OK with you for me to feel something again, even if it's pain.

  Gideon Largeman : Well, you're going against your doctor's recommendation, that a pretty weighty experiment to take on, don't you think?

  Andrew Largeman : This is my life, Dad, this is it. I spent 26 years waiting for something else to start, so, no, I don't think it's too much to take on, because it's everything there is. I see now it's all of it. You and I are gonna be OK, you know that, right? We may not be as happy as you always dreamed we would be, but for the first time let's just allow ourselves to be whatever it is we are and that will be better. OK? I think that will be better.

• Gideon Largeman : Saying goodbye is important. I'm glad you could fit it in.

• Andrew Largeman : Place looks good.

  Gideon Largeman : Oh, that's nice. Yeah, we've been doing a lot of work on it.

  Andrew Largeman : Really?

  Gideon Largeman : Actually, no. I don't know why I just said that.

• Gideon Largeman : I'm sure you can find lots of things in your life that you can be angry about but what I do not understand is why you're so angry with me. All I ever wanted for everyone to be happy again. That's all I ever wanted.

  Andrew Largeman : When were we all ever happy, dad? When? You always say that. When was that, when was that? When was this time that you have in your mind when we were all so happy? Because I don't have it in my memory. Maybe if I did, I could help steer us back there but I just- Look, you and I need to work on being okay if that's not in the cards for us.

  Gideon Largeman : Well, we might have a shot at it if you can forgive yourself for what you did.

  Andrew Largeman : What I did

  [scoffs] 

  Andrew Largeman : . What I did. Okay, let's do it. Okay, we're here, right. Let's do it. I'm going to forgive myself for what I did. Are you ready? I was a little boy and somebody made a shitty latch. That's what I think. That's what I think about the whole thing, okay? And I'm not going to take those drugs anymore because they left me completely fucking numb. I have felt so fucking numb to everything I've experienced in my life, okay? And for that... For that, I'm here to forgive you. You've always said all you wanted was for us to have whatever it is we wanted, right? Well, maybe what mom wanted more than anything was for it all to be over. And for me, what I want more than anything in the world, is for it to be okay with you for me to feel something again; even if it's pain.

  Gideon Largeman : You're going against your doctor's recommendation. That's a pretty wicked experiment to take on, don't you think?

  Andrew Largeman : This is my life, dad. This is it. I spent 26 years waiting for something else to start, so no, no, I don't think it's too much to take on because it's everything there is. I see now it's all there is. You and I are going to be okay, you know that right? We may not be as happy as you always dreamed we would be but... for the first time, let's just allow to be whatever it is that we are. And that'll be better, okay? I think that'll be better.

• Gideon Largeman : And besides that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the show?

• Gideon Largeman : [on Andrew's answering machine]  Andrew, this is your father. Hello? Look, you don't call me back, so I don't know how to do this. If you're not gonna return my calls then there's no way for us to communicate...

  [breaks down] 

  Gideon Largeman : Look, I don't know how to do this but you're gonna need to come home now. Last night... Your mother died last night, Andrew. She drowned. Last night she drowned in the bath.