Martian Child (2007)

John Cusack: David

Photos 

Quotes 

• David : Dennis, can I just say one last thing about Mars? - which may be strange coming from a Science-Fiction writer - But right now, you and me here, put together entirely of atoms, sitting on this round rock with a core of liquid iron, held down by this force that seems to trouble you, called gravity, all the while spinning around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour and whizzing through the milkyway at 600,000 miles an hour in a universe that very well may be chasing its own tail at the speed of light; And admist all this frantic activity, fully cognisant of our own eminent demise - which is our own pretty way of saying we all know we're gonna die - We reach out to one another. Sometimes for the sake of entity, sometimes for reasons you're not old enough to understand yet, but a lot of the time we just reach out and expect nothing in return. Isn't that strange? Isn't that weird? Isn't that weird enough? The heck do ya need to be from Mars for?

• [from trailer] 

  David : I don't want to bring another kid into this world. But how do you argue against loving one that's already here?

• David : Sometimes we forget that children have just arrived on the earth. They are a little like aliens, coming into beings as bundles of energy and pure potential, here on some exploratory mission and they are just trying to learn what it means to be human. For some reason Dennis and I reached out into the universe and found each other, Never really know how or why. And discovered that I can love an alien and he can love a creature. And thats weird enough for both of us.

• David : [to Dennis]  There's nothing you could do that will change the way I feel about you.

• [from trailer] 

  David : Why did they send you here? You know, the Martians?

  Dennis : To join a family and to learn human beingness.

• David : Isn't he wild?

  Harlee : He's great, like a little Andy Warhol.

  David : He has the same social skills, by the way.

  Harlee : You know what I think it is?

  David : What?

  Harlee : He's an old soul.

  David : What does that mean?

  [pause] 

  David : Seriously.

  Harlee : It just means he's figured it out.

• [from trailer] 

  David : I do know, there's no one on this planet that loves Dennis anymore than I do.

• [from trailer] 

  David : [as Dennis enters house for the first time]  Just think of it as a bigger box...

• [from trailer] 

  Dennis : Was I bad?

  David : I don't care about any of that stuff. Look, this is just stuff.

  [Drops a bowl] 

  Dennis : [Drops a bowl softly] 

  David : Come on! Break it like you mean it!

  [Throws another bowl] 

  David : [Dennis throws some plates]  Now that! Come on!

• Dennis : [sharply points at a photo of David]  Beware! I almost disney-graded you.

  David : Disintegrate me? Why would you do that?

• David : Uh, listen, Chief, I, uh... I brought you some sunblock. Very strong stuff. SPF 45, that's sun protection factor, and uh, helps you against the ultraviolet rays, which are, you know, they call them the UV rays. Anyways, it's hypoallergenic and waterproof. I'll just leave it for you.

• Liz : David, you're hysterical.

  David : I know. See, everybody says, "Don't be hysterical." But I say, "Why not be hysterical?" Hysterical is the new calm. My wife dies, boom! I go out and I adopt a kid from Neptune. Should I just chill, or should I be hysterical? You tell me. I think hysteria is a way of life. It's a clothing line at least.

• David : Just as a point of interest, what made you think I'd be a good match for a boy who spends most of his time in a box?

  Sophie : He thinks he's from another planet.

• David : [after having been kissed by Harlee for showing kindness to Dennis]  What was that for?

  Harlee : 'Cause they're giving medals to all the wrong guys.

• David : You know what's really cool about baseball? You know what I love about baseball? Baseball is the only sport where you can fail 70 percent of the time and still be great. It's about trying hard and never, ever, ever givin' up. Just think about it. If you get a hit three out of every 10 times you're at bat, you're really good. If you do a little bit better than that... just a little bit better than that... maybe 3.2, 3.3 times... you're great, and you could be a star. And you're gonna make it to the Big Show. And if you do that on the Big Show... you're a superstar.

• David : That's a good question, which is usually what adults say if they don't know the answer.

• David : So what made you think that I would be a good match for a boy who spends most of his time in a box?

• David : Hi. What's your name?

  Esther : Esther.

  David : Hi, Esther.

  Esther : I know who you are.

  David : You do?

  Esther : You're the man who Sophie called about Dennis, but you don't want him 'cause your wife's dead.

  David : Who told you that?

  Esther : Dennis.

  David : Are you a friend of his, or what?

  Esther : No, he's a weirdo. He doesn't have any friends.

  David : He doesn't? Where is he hanging out?

  Esther : He's in the box. He doesn't come out until night.

  David : Why does he do that?

  Esther : The sun. He hates the sun.

  David : Why does he hate the sun?

  Esther : I don't know. Because he thinks it's too sunny?

  David : Right.

• David : You know, what is so amazing about you is that you're right. You're always right. And you remember when you're right. And you never let anybody else forget it.