The 2022 Academy Awards, held on March 27th, honored films of very different genres, ranging from dramas, thrillers, musicals, and science fiction. With so many distinct styles of storytelling, it can be hard to understand what each film is about, but a great way to get the gist of things is through the quotes found in each movie.
Whether it’s an epic like Dune or a sprawling romance like West Side Story, there are certain quotes that reveal what the purpose of the narrative is. With the Oscars now having come to pass, it’s worth looking at the words that prove why each nominee was worthy of winning the golden statuette.
Don’t Look Up
“What Do These Trillions Of Dollars Matter If We’re All Going To Die With The Impact Of This Comet?”
Don’t Look Up is an apocalyptic satire that’s about two astronomers who realize that a comet will destroy the world. Problems arise when the governments are too greedy and self-serving to care about humanity, as they look to save themselves instead.
Among the more memorable quotes in Don’t Look Up is this one because it basically summarizes the main conflict and the kooky nature of the story. Dr. Mindy is baffled when he learns the president wants to profit off of the comet instead of thinking of destroying it, which goes to show how the premise is all about the money-hungry people in charge.
Licorice Pizza
“You Give Me Hope. This Is Fate That Brought Us Together. This Is Fate.”
Paul Thomas Anderson brought out some great performances from the Licorice Pizza actors in a film with a very simple premise. It’s about a teenager named Gary (Cooper Hoffman) falling in love with the older Alana (Alana Kane) while hoping to win her over.
The reasoning behind Gary’s love for Alana is laid bare in this quote, as he claimed that she made him feel like there was a grand plan in the universe. Licorice Pizza is exclusively about the pair’s gradual love story, so the quote indicates what the basis of the plot is.
Belfast
“What Makes Each Story Different Is Not How It Ends, But Rather Where It Begins”
Set in 1969 Ireland during a turbulent time in the country, Belfast has its fair share of good quotes. However, the overall sentiment behind the film is captured in the words uttered by Granny (Judi Dench). Since the story is from the point of view of her grandson, Granny sums up Belfast’s message of moving on.
Buddy (Jude Hill) has his entire life ahead of him and though he feels sad about leaving his grandparents behind, his grandmother assures him that what matters is that he start the new chapter in his life with love as he had with them. The movie is supposed to be a tearjerker, and a line like this will certainly do the trick.
CODA
“I Really Love To Sing.”
The premise of CODA concerns Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) and her struggles with being the only person in her family who isn’t deaf. Ruby’s issues increase when she finds she has musical talent but can’t share it with her loved ones, who still support her through thick and thin.
CODA goes deeper by showing Ruby’s conflicts with wanting to pursue her dreams and help in the family business – this quote gives an overview of her frame of mind. CODA shows that being deaf doesn’t hinder the quality of life and that’s what Ruby has to come to realize, as she eventually does follow through with her aspirations.
Nightmare Alley
“You Don’t Fool People, Stan. They Fool Themselves.”
This neo-noir thriller is about Stan Carlisle (Bradley Cooper), who is a carnival worker that comes up with new tricks as he makes his way up the ranks. The quote is said by Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett) when she betrays Stan’s trust in her to give away his secrets.
The idea behind Nightmare Alley is to show Stan’s descent once he becomes too high on his talents. Lilith’s words serve as a reminder that Stan was never a big deal and that it was the people around him who were allowing themselves to be fooled.
Dune
“A Great Man Doesn’t Seek To Lead. He’s Called To It.”
The premise of Dune is about Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his reluctant role in the deadly war for control of the desert planet Arrakis. Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), says this when his son tells him he doesn’t want to be his heir.
Leto points out that a true leader rises up when the time calls for it, and that’s essentially what the arc for Paul is in the movie. The protagonist ends up wanting to fulfill his father’s legacy, which was birthed from the words he heard Leto speak to him.
King Richard
“Now, I Haven’t Been No Great Daddy But I’ve Never Done Nothing But Try To Protect You.”
Based on the young days of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, King Richard is a biopic focusing on their father. Richard (Will Smith) goes to great lengths to make his daughters professionals, even becoming uncompromising when the sisters feel he’s being too hard on him.
Richard says these words late in the movie to acknowledge that he might have taken things too far but did it to make his daughters the very best. The story follows Richard’s life up until he does make winners out of his children so viewers know that his heart was in the right place.
West Side Story
“I’m Always Just About To Fall Off The Edge Of The World’s Tallest Building. I Stopped Falling The Second I Saw You.”
West Side Story sees the battle between two gangs from different racial backgrounds in 1957. The primary arc overlooks the love story between Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Ziegler), who hail from opposite ends of the conflict, as they look for a way to be together.
Tony realizes the true meaning of happiness once he falls in love with Maria and it’s best evidenced in his proclamation of love. West Side Story is a romantic musical at its heart and nothing drives that point further than words from the protagonist that makes his feelings clear.
The Power Of The Dog
“Just Know A Man’s Feeling For Another Can Go Very Deep. It Happened With Me And Bronco, Shocked The Life Out Of Me I Can Tell You.”
There are quite a few hard-hitting quotes in The Power of the Dog, but none more so than this one. It reveals the big secret that Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) harbors from the start. The story largely covers his prejudice against Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) for his effeminate attitude, only for this quote to show that Phil was no different.
Phil played into the 1920s’ taboo of falling in love with a man and used toxic masculinity as a shield. However, he admits he had a relationship with his mentor, Bronco Henry, back in the day, which ends up pointing out the themes behind The Power of the Dog.
Drive My Car
“If You Really Want To Look At Someone, Then Your Only Option Is To Look At Yourself Squarely And Deeply.”
In this drama, Yūsuke (Hidetoshi Nishijima) is a grieving director whose late wife was cheating on him. Yūsuke forms a bond with chauffeur Misaki (Masaki Okada) when the latter is assigned to Yūsuke to keep him company. Eventually, he comes to terms with what went wrong in his marriage.
This quote completes Yūsuke’s character arc in Drive My Car and also sums up the purpose of the story. It’s a heart-touching tale of love and loss but also about deep introspection, as Yūsuke is meant to unburden himself from his mistakes as well as his wife’s.
