Deconstructing Harry (1997) - Quotes

A Writer's Betrayal Leads to Consequences

Taglines: Harry Block has written a best seller... about his best friends... he revealed their deepest secrets... and they're not pleased... now Harry Block is going to Hell...

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Betrayal Among Friends in Deconstructing Harry

Taglines: Harry Block wrote a bestseller about his best friends. Now, his best friends are about to become his worst enemies.

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Life's Ups and Downs: The House Always Wins

The Devil: You're not a fun guy. You're too angry at life.

Harry Block: Well, I've got a lot to be angry about!

The Devil: Who doesn't? But sooner or later you gotta back off. It's like Vegas. Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down, but in the end the house always wins. Doesn't mean you didn't have fun.

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The Devil's Experience in Hollywood

The Devil: You know, I've had a lot of jobs in your world.

Harry Block: Really? Like what?

The Devil: For two years I ran a Hollywood studio. But you can't trust those people.

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The Devil's Perspective on Gratitude

The Devil: You ever fuck a blind girl?

Harry Block: No, that I never did.

The Devil: Ooh, they're so grateful.

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The Devil's Air Conditioning Joke

The Devil: Want me to turn up the air conditioning?

Harry Block: What? You're air-conditioned here?

The Devil: Sure! Fucks up the ozone layer!

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Conflict in a Heated Encounter

Harry's Father: Harry!

Harry Block: Dad?

Harry's Father: Get me out of here! This is terrible! You know I could never stand hot weather.

Harry Block: [to demon leading his father in chains] What is he doing here?

Demon: He's condemned to eternal suffering.

Harry's father: Help me!

Harry Block: I don't understand. I demand to know the charges.

Demon: He behaved unconscionably toward his son. He accused the boy of committing a capital crime merely by being born.

Harry's Father: Your wife," they told me, "is dead, but your son is thriving." Why did he fight not to be born?

Harry Block: Look, I forgive him. What's over is over. Let him go to Heaven, please!

Harry's Father: I'm a Jew. We don't believe in Heaven.

Harry Block: Where do you want to go?

Harry's Father: To a Chinese restaurant.

Harry Block: Take him to Joy Luck.

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Understanding Black Holes in Everyday Life

Harry Block: Cookie, do you know what a black hole is?

Cookie: Sure, it's how I make my livin'!

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Truth and Belief in Relationships

Joan: Tell me, Harry, just tell me something. Was she the only one, or were there others?

Harry Block: No, Amy Pollock was the only one, may God strike me dead if I am lying.

Joan: You're an atheist, Harry!

Harry Block: Wha-hey, we're alone in the universe, you're going to blame that on me, too?

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Historical Awareness and Its Consequences

Burt: Do you care even about the Holocaust, or do you think it never happened?

Harry Block: Not only do I know that we lost 6 million, but the scary thing is that records are made to be broken.

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Self-Identity and Cultural Reflection in Dialogue

Doris: You're a self-hating Jew!

Harry Block: Hey, I may hate myself, but not because I'm Jewish.

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Cynicism and Sarcasm in Politics

Doris: You have no values. With you it's all nihilism, cynicism, sarcasm, and orgasm.

Harry Block: Hey, in France I could run for office with that slogan, and win!

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Ironic Honor for a Controversial Student

Harry Block: The ironic thing is that the school that kicked me out is honoring me soon.

Shrink: Why did they kick you out?

Harry Block: Because I wasn't interested in college. I wanted to be a writer and that's all I cared about. Also, I tried to give the Dean's wife an enema. They didn't take kindly to that.

Conflict Between Lucy and Harry

Lucy: You schmuck, you bastard! I'd like to cut your fuckin head off!

Harry Block: You're upset, right?

Perspectives on Jobs: Waitressing vs. Sex Work

Harry Block: Every hooker I ever speak to tells me that it beats the hell out of waitressing. Waitressing's gotta be the worst fucking job in the world.

Delusions of Popularity in Deconstructing Harry

Harry Block: I think you're the opposite of a paranoid. I think you go around with the insane delusion that people like you.

The Beauty of Benign Words

Harry Block: The most beautiful words in the English language are not "I love you" but "It's benign".

Reflections on Presidential Attitudes Toward Women

Harry Block: Does the president think of fucking every woman he meets? Ah, bad example.

Work and Sex: Harry Block's Perspective

Harry Block: The two most important things are the work you choose and sex.

The Distortion of Personal Truths

Harry Block: All people know the same truth. Our lives consist of how we choose to distort it.

Preference for Comfort Over Authority

Harry Block: Between the Pope and air conditioning, I'll take air conditioning.

Elevator Stops at Troubling Floors of Society

Elevator in Hell: Floor five: Subway muggers, aggressive panhandlers, and book critics. Floor six: Right-wing extremists, serial killers, lawyers who appear on television. Floor seven: The media. Sorry, that floor is all filled up. Floor eight: Escaped war criminals, TV evangelists, and the NRA.