Two of Us (2000 film)

Two of Us is a 2000 television drama (and the third original VH1 film) which offers a dramatized account of April 24, 1976, six years after the break-up of the Beatles and the day in which Lorne Michaels made a statement on Saturday Night Live offering the Beatles $3,000 to reunite on his program.
 * Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Written by Mark Stanfield.

John Lennon

 * [regarding Paul] The Ghost of Christmas Past...
 * Everybody's in pain, Paul. If you wanna do some real good, you ought to stop singing silly little love songs, mate. Just shut up for a while, and then... bloody scream.
 * Look, Paul, when I met Yoko, everything changed. I couldn't care less about being in some little boys' club anymore, y'know? If you couldn't deal with Yoko, you had no business dealing with me!
 * I was making sure that Mercury isn't in retrograde, y'know what I mean? That's one of the few things I do know about -- Mercury in retrograde spells trouble. "Look out!" You're better off staying in bed.
 * Music in the park? I'll have to write to me Senator.
 * We're all hypocrites at heart, aren't we?
 * [to Paul] I mean, it's not as though I think you're complete rubbish, you know? Of course, I like some things better than others, but overall, I'd say you're very good at being you.
 * Well, you tell your sort-of girlfriend that your sort of met one of the Beatles and he turned out to be just as much of a bastard as anybody else.
 * Do you know how many times people come up to me and said that they "Just love The Beatles!" And that their all-time favorite Beatles song just happens to be "Yesterday"? I ought to wear a bleedin' placard around me neck saying "It's a Paul song, piss off!"
 * Y'know, the Buddhists that you've gotta rid yourself of all these illusions including the ultimate one, which is this concept of self. D'you know how basic that is? All this pain is wrapped up in this concept is that this thing called "I" exists. And that the real key is in perceiving this quiet reality that's so much simpler than anything we can imagine? 'Course, y'know, my problem is, the moment I get a taste of this quiet reality, y'know, my ego gets all excited 'cause I think "I think I'm on to something big here! The next great understanding, John, wa-hey!" Before I know it, my thoughts are running a show again, and I'm back conceptualizing and... I've gotta learn how to stop meself earlier! Y'know, I've gotta learn how to control me thoughts!

Paul McCartney

 * [regarding the possibility of a Beatles reunion] Well, Tom... You never know.
 * I just like the sound of it -- "The reward of a thing well done is to have done it." Actually -- I'm not sure I entirely agree with him. I mean, I think it helps to have some kind of... public recognition as well. Otherwise how do you know if what you've done is any good?
 * Why should anyone listen to you or me screamin' and moanin' about how bad things are, when we can go out and make bloody good music about it?
 * You bloody disappeared! All of a sudden, everything's "John and Yoko", where's John? You turned your back on us, remember? Bloody right, I was mad at her! I was really mad at you, it was just easier to hate Yoko!
 * I love New York, it's a nice place! To visit.
 * [regarding Trepanning] Just one thing though. What do you do when it rains?
 * When we split up and I was suddenly out of a job, uh... I'll tell you exactly what I did do: Nothing. I was at the farm, and at first I stopped washing. Then I stopped shaving. Then I just stopped getting out of bed. I just used to lay in bed for days on end, smoking and drinking and watching telly. It was really awful.
 * I mean, my question is -- still is, "If it's not fun, why?"
 * [regarding John] I see a beautiful little boy whose mother says "goodbye". I see the same little boy, blaming himself for his father's mistakes. Telling himself that everything is his fault. I see this little boy believing that the world is a dangerous place, and that there's nobody you can depend on to protect you. So you grow up trying to pretend that ordinary little things don't scare the hell out of you, but they do. I see... my old friend, who used to skip classes and wander off with me to the old graveyard, looking back at me, still putting himself and me through hell. And I see a frightened man who doesn't realize how beautiful he is!

Dialogue

 * John: Aren't you one of them?
 * Paul: Well, I used to be. Now, I'm just one of me.


 * Paul: So we're alone?
 * John: Yeah. You, me, and everything between us.


 * John: C'mon, Paul! You're the biggest bloody thing since the Beatles!
 * Paul: Oh, them. Whatever became of them?
 * John: They all grew up and became lawyers.


 * John: I mean... how many adoring fans do you need to know if you're any good, eh? You gotta say goodbye to Mummy and Daddy. Otherwise, you're just looking for approval. Trying to please because it makes you feel wanted.
 * Paul: And what's wrong with that, I'd like to know.
 * John: Well... who are you, really, if all you're concerned with is making other people happy?
 * Paul: Why can't making other people happy be a part of who you are?
 * John: Trying to make other people happy -- it's like giving them a blanket or a piece of candy to chew on, y'know? You gotta stir people up! Gotta make 'em uneasy, y'know -- make 'em miserable, wish they'd never been born. That's the only way they'll wake up and face reality!
 * Paul: And whose reality do you want them to wake up to, John? Yours?


 * Paul: I felt like I was losing me best mate.
 * John: Who?
 * Paul: You.
 * John: We were never that close, mate.
 * [A long beat.]
 * Paul: You arrogant, lying bastard.


 * Political Activist: Would you like to help save the sea lions?
 * John: Tried, but they wouldn't listen.


 * John: There's something you don't see every day, eh?
 * Paul: What?
 * John: Heaven.


 * Paul: Even the press seems to like me for once.
 * John: What? They liked  Band on the Run.
 * Paul: Oh, yeah! They did, yeah. They liked that one.
 * John: Band on the Run was a great album.
 * Paul: 'Scuse me? You serious?
 * John: I am serious, yes. Well. Maybe not "serious", but I'm sincere.


 * Young Man: I just wanted to tell you that you've been, like, a big hero to me for a long time, and I just wanted to thank you.
 * John: Well, thanks very much and I hope you get over it.


 * John: So, uh, you wouldn't personally regard [Silly Love Songs] as the number one song in America?
 * Young Man: No, I wouldn't call it that. But obviously, y'know, enough people are buying it and... requesting it at the radio station and that to, y'know... to make it number one.
 * John: Well, let that be a lesson to you.
 * Young Man: Yeah! What?
 * John: Your opinion's worth shite.


 * John: Does Mary have a lamb?
 * Paul: It's just a little one, though.


 * Diner Patron (Man): I was wondering -- that is, if it wouldn't be too great an imposition -- if I might persuade you to sing a few bars of "Yesterday" for my wife? She's a-- she's a very big fan, you know.
 * John: I'd be quite happy to. And perhaps while I'm crooning, you'd put on your wife's wig, get on your knees, and lick my lingam?


 * John: I've always hated you for writing that bleedin' song.
 * Paul: You bloody well wish you'd written it!
 * John: I could've written it better than you!
 * Paul: Oh, yeah? Like you never tried! Anyway, you would've bollocksed it up by having somebody screaming over the refrain.
 * John: Oh, quit being so smug.


 * Paul: [After John has playfully kissed him.] Just because Yoko's away doesn't mean you have to stop brushing your teeth!
 * John: You know you want it, you tort.
 * Paul: Is my name Brian?


 * John: Are you saying that my thoughts cause me pain?
 * Paul: Yeah.
 * John: Well... that's what I'm trying to say.
 * Paul: Yeah, but you're still in your head, even when you talk about thinking about not thinking!


 * Lorne Michaels: You wanna give Ringo less? That's up to you.
 * John: Oh, that's brutal, that is!
 * Paul: Oh, he's just being mean! We love Ringo!

Cast

 * Aidan Quinn as Paul McCartney
 * Jared Harris as John Lennon
 * Ric Reid as TV Interviewer
 * Martin Martinuzzi as Limo Driver
 * Neil Foster as Concierge
 * Joe Bostick as Elevator Attendant
 * Jeremy Tracz as Political Activist
 * Ian Ryan as Dreadlocked Man
 * Scott Wickware as Officer Francis
 * Robert Seelinger as Second Officer
 * Louis Di Bianco as Luigi
 * Derek Aasland as Young Man