The Book of Henry (2017)

Jaeden Martell: Henry Carpenter

Photos 

Quotes 

• Susan Carpenter : I didn't want things to get violent.

  Henry Carpenter : Violence isn't the worst thing in the world.

  Susan Carpenter : What is then?

  Henry Carpenter : Apathy.

• Henry Carpenter : [on his tumour]  I assumed it was just headaches.

  Henry Carpenter : [on a post death narration]  Don't worry mom... I'm with you every step of the way.

  Henry Carpenter : [dying as his mother holds him]  Mommy... Mommy... get me to the window... I want to see the sky.

• Sheila : Hank.

  Henry Carpenter : It's actually Henry. I think you'd be able to retain at least one simple name somewhere beyond that haircut.

  Sheila : Nice goggles. They go well with your misshapen head.

• Henry Carpenter : We're not supposed to swear in front of Peter.

  Peter Carpenter : I think it's far too late for that now.

• Dr. David Daniels : Henry, you've got something in your head right now. Something we call a tumor. It's not a good thing. So, we had to see if we could remove it without hurting any part of your brain. Uh, it's tricky stuff. And we were able to get some of it.

  Henry Carpenter : Come on, man.

  Dr. David Daniels : Excuse me?

  Henry Carpenter : This kind of rapid onset, cutting right away, the expression on your face, the way I see it, it's got to be a high grade ependymoma or glioblastoma. I don't know why I didn't think about that. What with the headaches and the blurred vision I just thought it was stress. Large mass?

  Dr. David Daniels : Uh... yeah.

  Henry Carpenter : Extended?

  Dr. David Daniels : Yeah, it is.

  Henry Carpenter : Has it spread to critical structures?

  Dr. David Daniels : Well, we tried to resect it, but unfortunately...

  Henry Carpenter : I see. My MRI?

  [henry reviews the MRI] 

  Henry Carpenter : Irradiate?

  Dr. David Daniels : [neurosurgeon shakes his head no]  I'm sorry.

  Henry Carpenter : I'd like to be alone, please.

  Susan Carpenter : Sweetie, I don't think...

  Henry Carpenter : Mom... um, I'd like to be alone.

  Susan Carpenter : Okay.

• Henry Carpenter : Mom... That woman today at the grocery store... You didn't... do anything to help her.

  Susan Carpenter : I told you. It just wasn't our business.

  Henry Carpenter : I think... when someone hurts someone else I, I think it is our business.

  Susan Carpenter : Well, I know it seems that way but... there was nothing I could do.

  Henry Carpenter : Yeah, mom if... if everybody did that then there would be no one to look out for the people who just can't look out for themselves.

  Susan Carpenter : So what should I have done? I didn't want things to get violent.

  Henry Carpenter : Violence isn't the worst thing in the world.

  Susan Carpenter : What is then?

  Henry Carpenter : Apathy.

• Sheila : Hello, Hank.

  Henry Carpenter : Hey, fashion road kill.

  Sheila : What you doin'?

  Henry Carpenter : Workin' on some notes.

  Sheila : Think you're pretty brilliant, don't ya?

  Henry Carpenter : I prefer precocious.

  Sheila : Shit, Hank. Why'd you have to go and do this?

  Henry Carpenter : Henry.

  Sheila : Look, even though we...

  Henry Carpenter : I know. It's called reaction formation.

  Sheila : What?

  Henry Carpenter : It seems we have an antithetical relationship, but... we're just behaving towards each other the opposite of how we really feel. I think you're pretty, thus I insult you. Childish, yes. But... I am a child.

  Sheila : [sheila stands, leans over the bed and kisses henry]  You take care, Hank.

  [sheila turns and leaves] 

• Susan Carpenter : Sheila? Hello?

  Peter Carpenter : Found her.

  Sheila : Oh... oh. Lovely. You brought the children. Hello, Hank.

  Henry Carpenter : Sheila. Looking radiant as ever.

  Susan Carpenter : Let me guess, drinking away memories of that ex who left you in the lurch with two young boys.

  Sheila : That was you.

  Susan Carpenter : Oh, yeah.

• Peter Carpenter : Sheila!

  Sheila : Hello, Peter. Hank.

  Henry Carpenter : It's actually Henry. I think you'd be able to retain at least one simple name somewhere beyond that haircut.

  Sheila : Nice goggles. They go well with your misshapen head.

• Mrs. Evans : Henry, where are you going? Henry!

  [henry exits the classroom] 

  Henry Carpenter : Goddamn it, Janice. How much longer does this have to go on? What else do you need to see?

  Principal Wilder : I believe you mean Principal Wilder? Henry, we're not going down this road again.

  Henry Carpenter : Bruises, exhaustion, decreased school performance. What have her grades been this year?

  Principal Wilder : You know I can't tell you anything about another student's grades.

  Henry Carpenter : You're under no obligation to investigate. You need merely report suspicion of. It's, it's your ethical responsibility as an educator.

  Principal Wilder : I made preliminary inquiries which turned...

  Henry Carpenter : So make secondary inquiries!

  Principal Wilder : It's more complicated than that, Henry. Mr. Sickleman is the police commissioner and an upstanding member...

  Henry Carpenter : As if upstanding members of the community...

  Principal Wilder : These type of baseless allegations can have extremely serious ramifications.

  Henry Carpenter : Jesus! Do...

  [henry grabs some child abuse brochures] 

  Henry Carpenter : Do these things mean anything?

  Principal Wilder : I have known Mr. Sickleman longer than you've been alive.

  Henry Carpenter : Don't condescend to me.

  Principal Wilder : I'm not gonna subject him to public scrutiny without conclusive evidence.

  Henry Carpenter : Fine. I will handle this without you.

• Mrs. Evans : Who wants to go next? Henry?

  Henry Carpenter : Yeah.

  [henry walks to the front of the classroom, turns and addresses the class] 

  Henry Carpenter : We can all talk about making our mark. But, isn't it just comfort food to stave off existential crisis? I mean, in the end, Tommy, you've gotta realize that... dodgeball isn't even an Olympic sport. But... our legacy isn't what we write on our resume or how many commas we have in our bank account. It's who we're lucky enough to have in our lives and what we can leave them with. The one thing we do know, we're here now. So I say we do the best we can while we're on this side of the dirt. And that's what I think about my legacy.

  Mrs. Evans : Henry, remind me again why we can't put you in a gifted school.

  Henry Carpenter : 'Cause it's better for my psychosocial development for me to interact with a peer group at a normal school environment.

• Henry Carpenter : [opening internal monologue]  People are decent mostly. I say mostly because we all know there are some real pricks out there. People are decent because they never forget how to reach out. Now and then, they'll even surprise you, but then again, sometimes they won't.

• [first lines] 

  Henry Carpenter : [narrating]  People are decent, mostly. I say mostly because we all know there are some real pricks out there. People are decent because they never forget how to reach out. Now and then, they'll even surprise you.

  Henry Carpenter : [gets smacked in the nose by the bully]  But then again, sometimes they won't.