Dedication (film)

Dedication is a 2007 romantic dramedy about a misogynistic children's book author who is forced to work closely with a female illustrator instead of his long-time collaborator and only friend.

Directed by Justin Theroux. Written by David Bromberg.

With each moment we write our story.

Dialogue

Henry: I've spent my whole life... wanting something... and doing my very best not to find it. Never even going near the places it might be... And suddenly, I've got the goddamn thing practically chained around my neck.

Lucy: What are you talking about?

Henry: You. You. You're the, you're the... You're, you're- you're the goddamn thing. Ahhh, uh. I mean... You're, you're. I can't describe you... uhh, I don't, I don't write that kind of shit, I write... You know, the people who write, who write the real books, the love books, and the poems, and even those stupid little fucking novels with the hunky assholes on the cover...

Lucy: Stop...

Henry: You know it? You know what I'm talking about? You know - you're like Princess shit! You know? fairytales. You know what I'm saying? The million guys are after and you're blinded by your beauty kind of shit. Real big stuff. You know, that just - even, we got the dick that kidnaps you and sticks you in a cave and you're guarded by a five-headed dragon, you know and the tales of your plight are spread throughout the land and all the guys go and put on their shoes so they can see what's up and none of them have the balls to save her except for me. I would go through anything... for you. And still, there I was looking for a way not to see it. Anything. Money...

Lucy: You stupid idiot.

Henry: Yeah.

Lucy: Yes.

Henry: Yeah... big fat stupid idiot.

Lucy: I hope you're better to the next one.

Henry: No - wait...

[he digs in his bag and decides not to give her the dedication to Simone, but grabs the pebble he had given her and then thrown back onto the beach and went back for later]

Henry: It was easy to find... it's the only one like it.

Lucy: You broke my heart, Henry. I don't think you can trust people. You always have to find something wrong. I'm just... I'm sorry. I'll miss you.

---

Henry: Life is nothing but the echo of joy disappearing into the great chasm of misery.

Rudy Holt: ... You've had better.

Henry: Life is nothing but the occasional burst of laughter rising above the inerminable wail of grief.

Rudy Holt: That's my favorite.

Henry: It lives in truth, that's why.

---

Rudy Holt: You know what life is?

Henry: life is a horrible little giggle in the midst of a forced death march towards hell.

Rudy Holt: No it isn't.

Henry: An interminable wale of grief...

Rudy Holt: No. life is a single skip for joy.

Henry: I know.

Cast

• Tom Wilkinson - Rudy Holt
• Billy Crudup - Henry Roth
• Christine Taylor - Allison
• Bob Balaban - Arthur Planck
• Catherine Lloyd Burns - Mother in Bookstore
• Amy Sedaris - Cassidy's Mom
• Cassidy Hinkle - Cassidy
• Mandy Moore - Lucy Reily
• Jeremy Shamos - Matthew
• Christopher Fitzgerald - Robin
• Dianne Wiest - Carol
• Jicky Schnee - Mandy the Waitress
• John Ellison Conlee - Man at Lucy's
• Martin Freeman - Jeremy
• Christopher Grey Misa as Abused Kid
• Catherine Kellner as Abusive Mom
• Bobby Cannavale - Don Meyers
• Peter Bogdanovich - Roger Spade
• Justin Theroux - Lawyer on phone

External links

• Dedication quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• Dedication at Allmovie
• Dedication at Mojo
• Dedication at Rotten Tomatoes
• Dedication at Metacritic