Best last lines in movie history according to the only opinion that counts, my own.
“Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn!” This one is from (obviously) Gone With The Wind and is close as they could come in the 1940s to having one character telling another character who has wronged them the entire film to go fuck themselves.
“I hope.” Red’s entire narration at the end of The Shawshank Redemption as he travels from Maine to Mexico to meet up with Andy could be included here. But these last two words not only perfectly encapsulate the entire theme of the movie, they encapsulate my personal favorite theme in movies.
“Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads.” Back to The Future is the most perfect movie ever made (I’ll fight you if you disagree) and the fact they can end it on a surprising “holy shit” moment as the DeLorean becomes a spaceship and flies away blew my twelve year old mind. Bonus points because I used to quote this to my Junior High classmate Patti Rhodes regularly and it always got a laugh (see, these bad jokes didn’t just start with this blog!).
“You met me at a very strange time in my life.” Ed Norton’s character confessing this to Helena Bonham Carter as they watch the city blow up may be the greatest understatement in movie history. But with the Pixie’s “Where Is My Mind” accompanying it, it’s somehow perfect.
“Go get ‘em, tiger.” This comes at the end of Spider-Man 2. Mary Jane abandons her wedding and shows up at Peter’s apartment, realizing that he is her true love and she’s willing to accept the risk that comes along with being in a relationship with a superhero. They kiss, a siren blares and Peter looks out the window, conflicted as to whether to stay with MJ or go help. Mary Jane delivers the line and Peter flies off, knowing that he’s got a real one.
As I’ve written about here before, I have a conflicted relationship with Marvel.
When I was a kid, all I wanted to do was to be able to draw for Marvel comics. When I got the opportunity to work with them for years back in my advertising days and got to see what really goes on behind the scenes, my desire to not only work for Marvel but even watch their movies dwindled.
But I love this last line (and MJ’s entire last monologue, really) from the sequel.
It’s the perfect metaphor for one of the most important aspects of the gym and training and, dare I say, life.
Because there may be nothing that has a greater impact on your sustained results than support.
Support can come in two forms here.
The first is technical support. Having an expert in your corner who understands how to design programs or how much weight to put on the bar or what your macros should be for your particular goals will increase your rate and speed of success exponentially.
While you don’t really need to concern yourself with getting everything perfectly right in order to get results, you can certainly optimize the time it takes and the probability of the outcomes that you are looking for with solid technical support.
Perhaps the number one complaint that people have when it comes to the gym (besides the crowds that gather at the bench press on Monday night at 6PM while the speaker system blasts Soulja Boy at remarkably high volumes) is that they don’t know what to do when they get there and if they are doing things correctly.
And while exercise technique and program design aren’t exactly rocket science, they are things to consider if you want to get the most out of your time in the gym. So, if you are struggling with knowing what to do and how to do it, seek out some professional support.
The second type of support is social support. And I might argue that this is more critical than professional support.
Because while a pro can save you time by shortcutting the learning process, having your spouse and family and friends and coworkers onboard with your goals and the new lifestyle that might accompany it is critical to your success.
Is your Mom going to be cool with you passing on the birthday cake she made for your niece’s birthday?
Is your boyfriend going to enjoy chicken and stir fry on what used to be Pizza Sundays?
Will your frat brothers not give you shit and spike your drink when they find out your glass is filled with water and not vodka as you all watch the Jets lose another game?
If the answer is “no” you are now going to run the real risk of being in uncomfortable situations at best and seeking out a new boyfriend and Mom at worst.
The truth is, people want to be supportive…until it interrupts their lives or what they enjoy. And when it comes to self care in particular, everyone will encourage you to do it until it becomes inconvenient for them.
Admittedly, it’s tough to stay strong and committed in those moments. You want to be a good son or good girlfriend or whatever. But you aren’t going to get where you want to go by appeasing everyone else.
So, ideally, it’s best to surround yourself with people who will support you even when it comes at their own sacrifice. Those are the real ones.
And if they don’t naturally fall in line, have the conversation. Let them know what you’re trying to accomplish and why it matters. They might surprise you.
Because progress in the gym isn’t just about what’s on the bar, it’s about who’s in your corner. Technical support keeps you moving in the right direction. Social support keeps you moving at all. Without it, even the strongest program will stall.
Mary Jane told Peter to go get ’em. Find the people who’ll tell you the same and then prove it with their actions. Those are your ride or dies. And with them in your corner, there’s nothing you can’t do. Nothing you can’t lift.