When Chris Evans fans heard he was going to take part in the mystery film, Knives Out, they were intrigued by how Evans would transition away from Marvel. When the first trailer hit, fans were floored that Evans would be playing a stuck-up, snobby privileged rich kid. Surprisingly enough, audiences were also praising Evans on how well he embodied the role.
Ransom Hugh Drysdale is a playboy rich kid who never had to really work a day in his life. While audiences had an inherent dislike for Ransom, no one expected him to be the most comical character of the bunch. He has some witty one-liners that are meme-worthy. Here are Ransom’s best quotes that will stay with you.
I Thought I Was The Only One
The line, “I thought I was the only one who could beat him at Go,” hits your heart a little until you realize Ransom’s real intentions with Marta. The line still makes the list because of the relationship Ransom and Harlan had. While all the members of the family had a unique relationship with Harlan, Ransom and his grandfather’s was hot and cold.
They held a special bond that was described in the film. Audiences are aware that Harlan and Marta always played Go before going to bed and Marta always won. When Marta comes clean about that fateful night to Ransom, he seems saddened that Harlan told a white lie that Ransom was the only one who could beat him. Out of everything that Marta confessed, that is the only thing Ransom focused on.
In For A Penny
Spoilers ahead. When Ransom agrees to help Marta, he does so under one condition. Marta will give Ransom back his inheritance as originally planned. He says to her, “In for a penny, in for a pound.” This quote leads to one of Ransom’s distinguishable lines at the end of the film. Once the truth has been told and Ransom was responsible for Harlan’s suicide and Fran’s death, he sees only one way out.
He sighs and says, “In for a penny,” and lunges at Marta with a knife. There is a sense of irony as Ransom said this when Marta agreed to give him his inheritance and the only way he can get it back now is by killing her. In the end, the family would do anything for money, whether stained with blood or not.
I Don’t Feel Like Talking
When audiences are first introduced to Ransom, he is indifferent to what’s going on in the house and the current situation. He blatantly disregards the two detectives who ask him for an interview. Ransom, indifferent to the gravity of the situation says “I don’t feel like talking. I’m distraught.”
The line is comical as he is so brazen and uncaring and clearly isn’t distraught in the slightest. Add the detectives perplexed reactions and the fact that Ransom went to the kitchen to get some cookies makes the line much more memorable.
I Think This Is The Best Thing That Could Happen To All Of You
Things always come back to bite you in the rear. At the reading of Harlan’s will, it comes to light that Ransom and Harland argued over his inheritance. Ransom confirmed that Harlan took him out completely, but didn’t tell anyone that Harlan cut the whole family off. His parents, Linda and Richard, expressed that this is the best thing that could have happened to him.
Ransom got in his two cents when the family discovered they were cut off and went after Marta. Ransom decides to help her get away but not without shouting to the family, “I think this is the best thing that could happen to all of you.” The family was more than happy to agree with cutting Ransom off until they found out they are too. He decides to bite back using their own words.
We Gotta Do This More Often
Out of every member of the family, Ransom is the most disliked and always causes a stir when they get together. Walt starts to berate Ransom for skipping the funeral and memorial but is early to the will reading. A heated argument occurs between Richard and Walt that starts a hilarious fight.
Ransom casually watches things unfold and says “We gotta do this more often,” and happily munches on a cookie. The line packs a good witty punch as the family always has an argument regardless of the current situation. Ransom’s ability to find the narcissistic comedy in the fight also adds a nice touch.
Kentucky Fried Foghorn Leghorn Drawl
Not many in the audience may have noticed this line during the intense confession scene between Ransom, the detectives, and Marta. Detective Blanc cuts Ransom off laughing at the fact that he refers to Harlan’s home as a birthright and ancestral home. In reality, Harlan bought the home in the ’80s.
Ransom cracks in anger and angrily says to Detective Blanc to shut up followed by, “With your Kentucky fried foghorn leghorn drawl.” You can’t help but chuckle as Blanc has a heavy Southern accent and Ransom uses common Southern expressions. Especially with the gravity of the situation, Ransom decides to jab at Blanc.
Are You Flooring It
What’s a murder mystery film without a good car chase? Well, a semi-fast car chase. Ransom helps Marta look for the lab report that would prove her guilt. They’re too late and the detectives and Blanc are already at the lab. Blanc manages to spot Marta and it leads to a car chase.
The scene is comical because Marta’s car is in no way built for a high-speed pursuit. This leads to Ransom’s line, “Are you flooring it!” The line embodies the bad situation they are in as Marta’s car can’t go past 60 miles per hour. On the other hand, the detectives are at 80 and manage to idle alongside them.
Wow
This is arguably one of the top three best-delivered lines by Ransom. Ransom comes clean about Harlan’s decision to cut his inheritance and Walt is over the moon. Walt gets so heated that he gets in Ransom’s face explaining that he will never see a dime of money from anyone in the family. The scene is intense and then Ransom breaks the tension.
After Walt’s moment, Ransom mouths the word, “Wow!” The fact that Ransom didn’t even need to say the word to cut the tension is comical on its own. The added raised eyebrows and smug smile, top it off. It then leads to another line when Richard addresses Ransom by saying, “Son,” and Ransom mimics back by saying, “Father.”
CSI: KFC
Once Ransom comes back from retrieving his cookie of choice to snack on, Blanc introduces himself with his heavy Southern accent. Ransom looks at him quizically before uttering the phrase, “CSI: KFC?” You either get the pun right away or it takes a second to sink in before you start laughing.
Again, the added munching down on a cookie helps deliver the line even further. The line is such a good pun, one of the detectives even manages to give a short chuckle. Blanc is a private detective with a Southern accent, therefore CSI combined with the south’s popular food, fried chicken, makes for a great line.
Eat Sh*t / Up Your A**
Taking the spot for Ransom’s by far best quotes from the film are the lines, “Eat sh*t,” and “Up your a**.” During the heated argument over Ransom’s exclusion from Harlan’s will and his parents agreeing with the decision, Joni chimes in. This sets Ransom off as Joni tries to explain that good things are never easy.
Ransom has had enough and tells Joni, “Up your a**,” while explaining that Jodi has had her claws in family money for too long. More chaos ensues as Ransom escalates and tells her to “Eat sh*t,” and then points at every family member that deserves it.
This scene is gold because of Ransom’s lines. It seemingly creates a comical moment in a whirlwind of chaos and murder as his family look at him in pure disgust and outrage. To make things better, Ransom couldn’t care less about what his family thinks. It’s the perfect example of a dysfunctional high-class family that revolves around money and thinks highly of themselves.
