The Sweet Hereafter Quotes
This film documents the effects of a tragic bus accident on the population of a small town.
Mason: Nicole, did the Pied Piper take the children away because he was mad that the town didn't pay him?
Nicole: That's right.
Mason: Well, if he knew magic, if he could get the kids into the mountain, why couldn't he use his magic pipe to make the people pay him for getting rid of the rats?
Nicole: Because... he wanted them to be punished.
Mason: So he was mean?
Nicole: No, not mean, just... very angry.
Nicole: That's right.
Mason: Well, if he knew magic, if he could get the kids into the mountain, why couldn't he use his magic pipe to make the people pay him for getting rid of the rats?
Nicole: Because... he wanted them to be punished.
Mason: So he was mean?
Nicole: No, not mean, just... very angry.
Mary: (Speaking of a new computer, a gift) From Mr. Stephens... That was him on the phone just now. He was calling to see how you were.
Nicole: Who's Mr. Stephens?
Sam: Uh, he's a lawyer. He's our lawyer.
Nicole: You and Mom have a lawyer?
Sam: Well, yes. He's your lawyer, too.
Nicole: My lawyer. Why do I need a lawyer?
Mary: Well maybe we shouldn't be talking about this just now, with you barely home. Aren't you hungry, honey? You want me to fix you something?
Nicole: No. What's this lawyer business?
Nicole: Who's Mr. Stephens?
Sam: Uh, he's a lawyer. He's our lawyer.
Nicole: You and Mom have a lawyer?
Sam: Well, yes. He's your lawyer, too.
Nicole: My lawyer. Why do I need a lawyer?
Mary: Well maybe we shouldn't be talking about this just now, with you barely home. Aren't you hungry, honey? You want me to fix you something?
Nicole: No. What's this lawyer business?
Mitchell Stephens: Tell me your news, Zoe.
Zoe: Okay. Yesterday I went to sell my blood. I'm in this fucking city, and I'm selling my blood.
Mitchell Stephens: That's not news, Zoe.
Zoe: No, but this is. They wouldn't take my blood. Do you know what that means, Daddy? Does it register? I tested positive.
Zoe: Welcome to hard times, Daddy.
Mitchell Stephens: What do you want me to do, Zoe? I'll do whatever you want.
Zoe: I need money.
Mitchell Stephens: What for?
Zoe: No, you CANNOT ask me that. YNot anymore. You asked me what I wanted, not what I wanted it for. I want money.
Mitchell Stephens: Do you have a blood test?
Zoe: You don't believe me? You don't FUCKING believe me?... I like it when you don't believe me. It's better that you don't believe me, but have to act like you do.
Zoe: Okay. Yesterday I went to sell my blood. I'm in this fucking city, and I'm selling my blood.
Mitchell Stephens: That's not news, Zoe.
Zoe: No, but this is. They wouldn't take my blood. Do you know what that means, Daddy? Does it register? I tested positive.
Zoe: Welcome to hard times, Daddy.
Mitchell Stephens: What do you want me to do, Zoe? I'll do whatever you want.
Zoe: I need money.
Mitchell Stephens: What for?
Zoe: No, you CANNOT ask me that. YNot anymore. You asked me what I wanted, not what I wanted it for. I want money.
Mitchell Stephens: Do you have a blood test?
Zoe: You don't believe me? You don't FUCKING believe me?... I like it when you don't believe me. It's better that you don't believe me, but have to act like you do.
Nicole: As you see her, two years later, I wonder if you realize something. I wonder if you understand that all of us - Dolores, me, the children who survived, the children who didn't - that we're all citizens of a different town now. A place with its own special rules and its own special laws. A town of people living in the sweet hereafter.
Sam: Nicole, tomorrow Mr. Stephens wants you to make your deposition at the community center. Thought I'd take you over.
Nicole: Great.
Sam: You seem, uh, I don't know. Distant, I guess. Hard to talk to.
Nicole: We didn't used to have to talk a lot, did we Daddy?
Sam: What do you mean?
Nicole: I mean, I'm a wheelchair girl now. And it's hard to pretend that I'm a beautiful rock star. Remember, Daddy? That beautiful stage that you were gonna build for me. You were gonna light it with nothing but candles.
Nicole: Great.
Sam: You seem, uh, I don't know. Distant, I guess. Hard to talk to.
Nicole: We didn't used to have to talk a lot, did we Daddy?
Sam: What do you mean?
Nicole: I mean, I'm a wheelchair girl now. And it's hard to pretend that I'm a beautiful rock star. Remember, Daddy? That beautiful stage that you were gonna build for me. You were gonna light it with nothing but candles.
Dolores: I remember wrenching the steering wheel to the right and slapping my foot against the brake petal. I wasn't the driver anymore. The bus was like this huge wave about to break over us. Bear Otto, the Lambston kids, the Hamiltons, the Prescotts, the teenaged boys and girls from Bartlett Hill Road, Pete, Suzy, Laura, Rick, Sean Walker, Nicole Burnell, Billy Ansel's twins, Jessica and Mason... all the children of my town.
[begins sobbing]
Mitchell Stephens: Then what happened?
[begins sobbing]
Mitchell Stephens: Then what happened?
Billy Ansell: Mitchell Stephens, Esquire. Tell me, would you be likely to sue me if I was to beat you right now? I mean, beat you so bad you piss blood and couldn't walk for a month. Because that's what I'm about to do.
Mitchell Stephens: No, Mr. Ansel. I wouldn't sue you.
Billy Ansell: You leave us alone, Stephens. You leave the people of this town alone.
Mitchell Stephens: No, Mr. Ansel. I wouldn't sue you.
Billy Ansell: You leave us alone, Stephens. You leave the people of this town alone.
