Changing Lanes (2002)

Samuel L. Jackson: Doyle Gipson

Photos 

Quotes 

• Doyle Gipson : I hope you don't mind, but I was intrigued by your conversation. I just thought you were in advertising. So I want to give you my dream version of a Tiger Woods commercial, okay? There's this black guy on a golf course. And all these people are trying to get him to caddy for them, but he's not a caddy. He's just a guy trying to play a round of golf. And these guys give him a five-dollar bill and tell him to go the clubhouse and get them cigarettes and beer. So, off he goes, home, to his wife and to their little son, who he teaches to play golf. You see all the other little boys playing hopscotch while little Tiger practices on the putting green. You see all the other kids eating ice cream while Tiger practices hitting long balls in the rain while his father shows him how. And we fade up, to Tiger, winning four Grand Slams in a row, and becoming the greatest golfer to ever pick up a 9-iron. And we end on his father in the crowd, on the sidelines, and Tiger giving him the trophies. All because of a father's determination that no fat white man - like your fathers, probably - would ever send his son to the clubhouse for cigarettes and beer.

• Doyle Gipson : Money. You... you think I want money? What I want is my morning back. I need you to give my time back to me. Can you give me back my time? Can you give my time back to me? Huh? Can you?

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

  Gavin Banek : Sorry, better luck next time.

• Sponsor : What happened in court today?

  Doyle Gipson : I'm in a bar. What does that tell you?

  Sponsor : It tells me that you're really angry. And that anger has gotten you into the one place in the world you shouldn't be.

• Carlyle : You hit me!

  Doyle Gipson : I'll hit you again! You like it?

• Doyle Gipson : I wasn't bankrupt yesterday and I'm not bankrupt today!

  Ron Cabot : I'm sorry, Mr. Gipson. The computer says you are.

  [Doyle takes the computer monitor from the desk and smashes it] 

  Doyle Gipson : Now it doesn't!

• [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] 

• [first lines] 

  Doyle Gipson : Think I'll make this the boys' room.