When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) - Quotes

The Fragility of Love and Secrets

Taglines: What Love Built A Secret Could Destroy...

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Love Endures Through All Circumstances

Taglines: Through the good times. Through the bad times. When a Man Loves a Woman it's for all times.

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The Complexity of Love and Understanding

Michael: My wife is an alcoholic. Best person I ever met. She has 600 different smiles. They can light up your life. Then can make you laugh out loud, just like that. They can even make you cry, just like that. That's just with her smiles. You'd have to see her with her kids. You'd have to see how they look at her, when she's not looking. To think of all the things she lives through, and I couldn't help her.

Alice: Maybe helping wasn't your job.

Michael: Well, it wasn't. See, I love her. And I tried everything, except really listening, really listening, and that's how I left her alone. I was so ashamed of that, and I couldn't even tell her. Maybe if I tell her, she'd love me anyway.

Alice: Or more. She would have loved you even more. I think you should tell all this stuff to your wife.

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Facing a Challenging Day

Michael: You are okay?

Alice: Never better.

Michael: What happened, something at A.A.?

Alice: Uh... I'll be okay. It's just a really bad day.

Michael: You wanna tell me what's wrong? Something I can do?

Alice: Thank you, but...

Michael: Can't fix it, unless we know it's broke.

Alice: How was your meeting?

Michael: First time, I'll get used to it. There was a lot of people there feeling sorry for themselves. It's like an alcoholic has ruined their lives and they'd rather be a victim than try and fix it.

Alice: Fix it, huh?

Michael: What'd I do now, Alice?

Alice: Nothing, Michael. Nothing.

Michael: am talking about some losers at my meeting. You're taking it personally.

Alice: The trouble with all these losers at your meeting is that they are not perfect like some people. They're married to alcoholics who are bouncing off the walls and they don't know what the fuck to do. So you might have to be a little tolerant, give them the benefit of your expertise in problem solving.

Michael: Good meeting huh? You guys drop acid or something?

Alice: Like I said... I'm having a really bad day and I don't mean to take it out on you.

Michael: What is it? You want a drink real bad?

Alice: That wouldn't distinguish it from any other day, Michael.

Michael: One of your friends fall of the wagon?

Alice: Nothing happened, Michael. Nothing has to happen for me to have a bad day. That's the thrilling part of all this. It just comes and hits and runs me over like a goddamn freight train.

Michael: Okay, when is the next freight train coming through? You got a printed schedule? Cause I could plan around these things, you know, and give you the space so you can, you know, smoke.

Alice: Maybe you shouldn't have to, Michael. One of the women at my meetings is going to a half way house, because she is not making it in her home environment and I...

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Struggles of Love and Communication

Michael Green: [Alice tries to interrupt] Come on, let's be real. You're clean. You stay hopeless and confused. Keep polishing those skills. And I'll take the heat. Because I got some needs of my own. When I touch my wife, I like it better if her skin doesn't crawl. My wife hurts. I need to be able to say "What's wrong, honey? Something I can do?" And I love you. So fuck me.

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Anticipation of Consequences

Alice Green: I'm waiting for my spanking.

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Temporary Ink Expression

Alice Green: It's a press-on tattoo!

Struggling with Hidden Addiction

Alice Green: I drink a quart a day. It's vodka so you couldn't smell it.

Self-Hate and the Hope for Redemption

Alice Green: It's horrifying how much you can hate yourself for being low and weak and he couldn't save me from that. So I turned it on him; I tried to empty it onto him. But there was always more, you know. When he tried to help, I told him that he made me feel small and worthless. But nobody makes us feel that, we do that for ourselves. I shut him out because I knew if he ever really saw who I was inside, that he wouldn't love me. And we're separated now, he's moved away, and it was so hard not to beg him to stay. And I don't know if I'm going to get a second chance, but I have to believe. That I deserve one. Because we all do.