A scene from When a Man Loves a Woman 1994
Alice

I think I could love you again if you could, for once, say "I don't know."

Alice

**** that! **** making it better. It's not getting better! I don't know how to make it better and I swear to God you don't either!

Alice

That is a sad little ensemble!

Michael

My wife is an alcoholic. Best person I ever met. She has 600 different smiles. They can light up your life. Then can make you laugh out loud, just like that. They can even make you cry, just like that. That's just with her smiles. You'd have to see her with her kids. You'd have to see how they look at her, when she's not looking. To think of all the things she lives through, and I couldn't help her.

Alice

Maybe helping wasn't your job.

Michael

Well, it wasn't. See, I love her. And I tried everything, except really listening, really listening, and that's how I left her alone. I was so ashamed of that, and I couldn't even tell her. Maybe if I tell her, she'd love me anyway.

Alice

Or more. She would have loved you even more. I think you should tell all this stuff to your wife.

Alice

It's horrifying how much you can hate yourself for being low and weak and he couldn't save me from that. So I turned it on him; I tried to empty it onto him. But there was always more, you know. When he tried to help, I told him that he made me feel small and worthless. But nobody makes us feel that, we do that for ourselves. I shut him out because I knew if he ever really saw who I was inside, that he wouldn't love me. And we're separated now, he's moved away, and it was so hard not to beg him to stay. And I don't know if I'm going to get a second chance, but I have to believe. That I deserve one. Because we all do.

Michael

Come on, let's be real. You're clean. You stay hopeless and confused. Keep polishing those skills. And I'll take the heat. Because I got some needs of my own. When I touch my wife, I like it better if her skin doesn't crawl.

Michael

[Alice tries to interrupt]

My wife hurts. I need to be able to say "What's wrong, honey? Something I can do? And I love you. So **** me."

Alice

No, Michael. We're supposed to try to be real. And when you feel alone, you are not together, and that is real.

Alice

I drink a quart a day. It's vodka so you couldn't smell it.

Alice

It's a press-on tattoo!

Casey

Cat got your tongue?

Alice

I'm waiting for my spanking.

In this scene

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