You make me want to be a better man

Published mid-afternoon of September 30, 2004

Reading peyups articles has this mystic consequence of suddenly taking you to some remote valley of human emotion. I was busy with this funny collection of college–related nuggets of information, as well as this painfully beautiful love article and this excellent review of Charlie Kaufman’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; and by the end of the afternoon I was looking at this famous exchange from the movie As Good As It Gets.

Carol (Helen Hunt): Come on in, and try not to ruin everything by being you.
Melvin (Jack Nicholson): I’ve got a really great compliment for you, and its true.
Carol: I’m so afraid you’re about to say something awful.
Melvin: Don’t be pessimistic, it’s not your style. Anyway, here goes: I’ve got this, what, ailment. Now, my doctor, this shrink I used to go to all the time, says that in fifty to sixty percent of cases, a pill really helps. I HATE pills, hate them. I’m using the word “hate” about pills. Anyway, my compliment to you is the night after you came over and said that you would never . . . well, you were there, you know what you said. Anyway, the very next morning, I started taking the pills.
Carol: I don’t quite get how that’s a compliment for me.
Melvin: You make me want to be a better man.
Carol: That’s maybe the best compliment of my life.
Melvin: Well maybe I overshot a little, because I was aiming at just enough to keep you from walking out.

“You make me want to be a better man.”

Nice, ain’t it? Some afternoons just have this magic of turning itself into poignant spans of seemingly eternal minutes and hours.

12 replies to “You make me want to be a better man”

  1. 1 sherwin 6PM of September 30, 2004

    maku, have you been a better man now? =) you must be.. =)

  2. 2 joey 12PM of October 1, 2004

    drama ah!

  3. 3 markku 2PM of October 1, 2004

    Drama ba? Hindi naman. ;) Tinamaan ako dun sa eternal sunshine… :(

  4. 4 markku 2PM of October 1, 2004

    More on “Eternal Sunshine” reviews, this one a comment from IMDB user bob the moo:

    This film requires a maturity or experience in relationships that many younger people will be fortunate not to have. The film relies on you having had a break up where one partner moves on without delay, leaving you in their wash – just as Joel had here. Sadly I have had such an experience, and the idea of washing away painful memories but also wanting to keep them for their happiness is one I could relate to.

  5. 5 MaThIbUs 11PM of October 1, 2004

    Hey, I saw this movie. Never really noticed there was such a nice saying in it though. (I’m not really into “romantic comedy” stuff…)

  6. 6 MaThIbUs 11PM of October 1, 2004

    And wow, the sitemap is up! Cool!

  7. 7 karl 12AM of October 2, 2004

    Haha buti ka pa nagbabasa ng peyups :P

  8. 8 Jeff 7AM of October 2, 2004

    Intersting that I read this, becaues just yesterday my teacher was telling a story about a kid who said that exact same thing to her, after he got a referral to the office.

  9. 9 markku 4PM of October 2, 2004

    Karl, bakit hindi ka na nagbabasa ng peyups? ;) Self-sustaining na naman yata ang peyups di ba, basta bayaran mo lang hosting?

    Now that is what I call a successful online community. :)

  10. 10 Angela 1AM of October 4, 2004

    Bakit laging magaganda ang lines na binibitiwan ni Jack Nicholson? Maganda rin yung “You are a woman to love” line niya doon sa movie niya with Dianne Keaton. :)

  11. 11 jorge 12AM of October 5, 2004

    haven’t seen eternal sunshine… but As Good As It Gets was a touching movie, I’ll admit - crush ko pa si Helen Hunt sa Mad About You :p Ei Markku! just dropped by, kakatapos ko lang ng bago kong site and all, blog hopping *grin*

  12. 12 markku 9AM of October 5, 2004

    Jorge, sino ba naman ang hindi gusto si Helen Hunt? ;) Congrats on your new site.

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