28 Days (2000)

Steve Buscemi: Cornell

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Quotes 

• Cornell : If that will make you happy, I will stop drinking. And then I would tell myself tonight I will not get wasted. And then something would happen. Or nothing would happen. And I'd get that feeling and you all know what that feeling is; when your skin is screaming and your hands are shaking and your stomach feels like it wants to jump through your throat. And you know that if anyone had a clue how wrong it felt to be sober, they wouldn't dream of asking you to stay that way. They would say oh geez, I didn't know. It's okay for you. Do that mound of cocaine. Have a drink. Have 20 drinks. Whatever you need to do to feel like a normal human being, you do it. And boy I did it. I drank and I snorted. I drank and snorted. I drank and snorted. And I did this day after day, day after day, night after night. I didn't care about the consequences because I knew they couldn't be half as bad as not using. And then one night something happened. I woke up. I woke up on a sidewalk and I had no idea where I was. I couldn't have told you what city I was in. And my head was pounding and I looked down and my shirt is covered in blood. And as I'm lying there wondering what happens next and I heard a voice. And it said man, this is not a way to live. This is a way to die.

• Cornell : You know, if your counselor catches you using you could get in big trouble.

  Gwen Cummings : I don't plan on discussing it with him.

  Cornell : Too late.

• Cornell : Yeah, you're an individual. The only person in the world who uses drugs and alcohol.

• Cornell : For everyone who's new here tonight, I know that this is not your year.

• Cornell : This isn't a way to live. This is a way to die.

• Gerhardt : Once we all leave, we have needs that are going to need to be filled by people, physically, at times. How and when can we do that? Not how, just when?

  Cornell : Yeah, I know, I know. People in recovery want to know when's a good time to start dating. And my rule of thumb is, when you get home, get yourself a plant. I like spider plants, but whatever turns you on. Then, in about a year, get a pet. And then, if, in say two years, the plant and the pet are still alive, then you can start to think about having a relationship.