Changing Lanes (2002)

Ben Affleck: Gavin Banek

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Quotes 

• Gavin Banek : It's like you go to the beach. You go down to the water. It's a little cold. You're not sure you want to go in. There's a pretty girl standing next to you. She doesn't want to go in either. She sees you, and you know that if you just asked her her name, you would leave with her. Forget your life, whoever you came with, and leave the beach with her. And after that day, you remember. Not every day, every week... she comes back to you. It's the memory of another life you could have had. Today is that girl.

• Doyle Gipson : Come on, man, don't leave me out here like this.

  Gavin Banek : Sorry, better luck next time.

• [to his father-in-law] 

  Gavin Banek : I'm gonna hold on to this file. I'm gonna keep it in a very safe place. But I'm not going to Texas. I'm gonna come back into work on Monday. I'm gonna start doing that pro bono work that you recommended that I do. But I'm gonna do it from our office. The first thing we're gonna do is help a man buy a house.

• [last lines] 

  Valerie Gipson : What do you want?

  Gavin Banek : Five minutes, ma'am. I owe your husband twenty. Hell... I'm only asking for five with you.

• Gavin Banek : Sometimes God likes to put two guys in a paper bag and just let 'em rip.

• [to his wife] 

  Gavin Banek : You were right. I can do this. I found the edge. Can you live there with me? Can you?

• Stephen Delano : This is all a tightrope, you gotta learn to balance.

  Gavin Banek : How can you live like that ?

  Stephen Delano : I can live with myself... because at the end of the day I think I do more good than harm... what other standard have I got to judge by ?

• Gavin Banek : I was thinking about what you said to me. About the end of the day - about doing more good than harm. That is what you said, isn't it?

  Stephen Delano : Don't you fuck with me.

  Gavin Banek : I am not fucking with you, sir. Can you imagine how unpleasant it would be if the judge got a hold of this file?

• [night falls. Gavin sits in his office, filled with regret for his misdeeds. He covers his face with his palms, and does not notice that Doyle entered the room and placed the file on the desk. Suddenly, Gavin sees the file he has been trying to retrieve the whole day] 

  Doyle Gipson : [quietly]  I have to thank you.

  [Gavin turns back and sees Doyle sitting in the office] 

  Gavin Banek : For the house?

  Doyle Gipson : [shakes his head]  I understand what you were trying to do, but... my wife's moving, she's taking the boys. The house is a little bit too much for me right now.

  Gavin Banek : I'm sorry.

  Doyle Gipson : [snickers sadly]  I was a horribly unstable father. And Valerie says I'll never see them again. But you know what? I will. I'll see 'em in a year or two... may be three.

  [Doyle sighs, shaking his head] 

  Doyle Gipson : I'll go to Portland, I'll call her... and I'll find a way to be their father again.

  [Doyle leans back] 

  Doyle Gipson : How about you?

  Gavin Banek : Well... I have the file... but I don't need it anymore.

  [Doyle is confused] 

  Gavin Banek : It's been taken care of. You know. It never happened.

  Doyle Gipson : But it did happen. Right?

  Gavin Banek : Right.

  Doyle Gipson : So, now what?

  [a pause. Gavin shakes his head. He takes the file and sits in front of Doyle. He speaks quietly, and Doyle listens] 

  Gavin Banek : I'm going to dinner with my wife... and her parents. And this weekend, I'm gonna go look at a boat. And then on Monday, I'm gonna come back in here and go to work. And then... magically this whole... incredible day just somehow... becomes a memory. It's like you go to the beach. You go down to the water. It's a little cold. You're not sure if you wanna go in. There's a pretty girl standing next to you. She doesn't wanna go in either. She sees you. And you know... if you just asked her her name... you would leave with her. Forget your life, whoever you came with... and leave the beach with her. And after that day... you remember her. Not every day, every week. She comes back to you. It's the memory... of another life... you could've had. Today is that girl.

  [Gavin stands and puts on his jacket. Doyle stands and starts walking out] 

  Gavin Banek : I'm sorry about what I did.

  [Doyle stops and turns back to face Gavin] 

  Doyle Gipson : [quietly]  Me too.

  Gavin Banek : You brought the file back.

  [Doyle smiles bitterly] 

• Gavin Banek : What am I gonna do?

  Michelle : Well... there's this guy. He helps with things that need... helping out.

  Gavin Banek : Like what?

  Michelle : Like things. Like... getting people to do things you want them to do when they don't necessarily want to do them.

• Gavin Banek : I haven't had a fucking thing to eat all day, I'm starving. So what are we gonna eat?

• [across the street, Gavin watches gloatingly how the policemen arrest Doyle and take him to the police unit. He rejoices that his trick worked. As the unit passes near Gavin, he yells at Doyle, although the latter cannot hear him] 

  Gavin Banek : [yells]  You know what I can do to you for trying to kill me? You know who I am? You know who I am? You see what I can do to you? You try to kill me?

  [suddenly Gavin notices Valerie and her children. The teacher approaches Valerie and tells her something. Valerie leaves, deeply saddened, and the children sob. Gavin realizes it is his fault, and he is filled with regret]