As Good as It Gets (1997)

Shirley Knight: Beverly

Photos 

Quotes 

• Carol Connelly : Why can't I have a normal boyfriend? Just a regular boyfriend, one that doesn't go nuts on me!

  Beverly Connelly : Everybody wants that, dear. It doesn't exist.

• Dr. Martin Bettes : [looking over Spencer's medical records]  Have they done blood tests on him?

  Carol Connelly : [laughs bitterly]  Yeah.

  Dr. Martin Bettes : Only in the emergency room or when he was well?

  Carol Connelly : Emergency room only.

  Dr. Martin Bettes : Okay. And how about skin testing for allergies?

  Carol Connelly : No.

  Dr. Martin Bettes : [looks up]  No standard scratch test, they poke him with a needle...?

  Carol Connelly : No. I asked, they said my plan didn't cover it and that it wasn't necessary anyways. Why, should they have?

  Dr. Martin Bettes : Well...

  [pause] 

  Carol Connelly : Fucking HMO bastard pieces of shit!

  Beverly Connelly : Carol!

  Carol Connelly : [smiles sheepishly]  I'm sorry.

  Dr. Martin Bettes : It's okay. Actually, I think that's their technical name.

• Dr. Martin Bettes : My wife is Melvin Udall's publisher. She said that I was to take excellent care of this little guy because you are urgently needed back at work. What kind of work do you do?

  Carol Connelly : I'm a waitress.

  Beverly Connelly : In Manhattan.

• Carol Connelly : [writing a thank-you note to Melvin, with the aid of a dictionary]  This can't be right! "Con-science"?

  [breaks down crying] 

  Beverly Connelly : Carol, what?

  Carol Connelly : I don't know... It's very strange not feeling that stupid panic thing inside you all the time. Without that you just start thinking about yourself, and what does that ever get anybody? Today, on the bus there was this adorable couple and I felt myself giving them a dirty look. I had no idea everything was...

  Beverly Connelly : Go ahead.

  Carol Connelly : ...Moving in the wrong direction. Away from when I even remembered what it was like to have a man to... anything... hold fucking - sorry - hands with, for Christ's sake. I was feeling, like, really bad that Dr. Bettes is married. Which is probably why I make poor Spencer hug me more than he wants to. Like the poor kid doesn't have enough problems, he has to make up for his mom not getting any. Oh, boy. Who needs these thoughts?

• Beverly Connelly : This is not like stockings. It's not like a string of pearls. You don't send this one back!