At times, movies can offer words for us to live by – bits of wisdom that we would do well to take with us after the credits roll. Throughout the life of this blog, the movies of several performers have been analyzed for such nuggets. These have been Burt Reynolds, Don Knotts, Kevin Costner, Paul Newman, George Peppard, Don Johnson, Jodie Foster and Tommy Lee Jones.
Usually, these take place after I have watched a movie and thought to myself, “Hey, that was a pretty good line.” The other day, I caught the end of one of the all time great movies, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, and thought to myself, “Hey, that was a pretty good line.”
Then, I thought about whose career could be analyzed for more words of wisdom. I haven’t seen that many Peter Weller movies, and the rules state that I must have seen a movie to use it. Jeff Goldblum and Christopher Lloyd were options. However, one person has appeared in a couple of movies that I can watch over and over. For that reason, this post explores the wisdom within the movies of Ellen Barkin.
From Diner
If you don’t have good dreams you got nightmares.
From Eddie and the Cruisers
There’s nothing can’t be fixed.
From The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
You can check your anatomy all you want, and even though there may be normal variation, when it comes right down to it, this far inside the head it all looks the same.
Don’t be mean; we don’t have to be mean, cuz, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.
Pictures don’t lie.
History is-a made at night. Character is what you are in the dark.
From The Big Easy
New Orleans is a marvelous environment for coincidence.
From Wild Bill
You ought to know better than to touch another man’s hat.
Whiskey’s good for a man… helps him put things in perspective.
A man that cheats at cards ain’t got no religion.
From Ocean’s Thirteen
The moment you become embarrassed of who you are, you lose yourself.
SBI: A Thinning Crowd 
She is classic. Great lines.
She is classic, and she has been in some interesting movies.