Speak (2004)

Steve Zahn: Mr. Freeman

Photos 

Quotes 

• Mr. Freeman : Hi, everybody! Welcome to Art. The only class that will teach you how to survive. This is where you can find your soul, if you dare. Don't ask me to show you how to draw a face. Ask me to help you find the wind.

• Mr. Freeman : Can anybody tell me what this is?

  [holds up a smashed globe] 

  Ivy : A globe?

  Mr. Freeman : A globe? Gosh... what are you guys, 13, 14? You already let them beat the creativity outta you? It's okay. I used to let my daughters kick this around my studio when it was too wet too play outside and one day, Jenny put her foot right through Texas and the entire United States crumbled into the sea. I mean, you could... you could paint a wet muzzled dog chewing Alaska! The possibilities are endless. It's almost too much, but you all are important enough to give it too.

• Mr. Freeman : [about Melinda's project]  I see a girl caught in the remains of a holiday gone bad with her flesh picked off day after day as the carcass dries out. The knife and fork are obviously middle-class sensibilities. The palm tree is a nice touch. A broken dream, perhaps? Plastic honeymoon, deserted island? Oh, If you put in a lice of pumpkin pie, it could be a deserted island!

• Mr. Freeman : In here is a piece of paper and on that piece of paper is a word. You are gonna spend the rest of the year turning that object into art.

  Ivy : Uh, Mr. Freeman? When I was little, I was really scared of clowns and I don't wanna relapse and have to go back into therapy.

  Mr. Freeman : Oh, yeah, well, fear is a great place to begin art.

  [Melinda picks a piece of paper that says "tree" and tries to put it back] 

  Mr. Freeman : Hey! Whoa. You just chose your destiny. You can't change that.

  Melinda Sordino : I learned how to draw a tree in like the 2nd grade.

  Mr. Freeman : Oh, really? Um. Well, do you wanna show me? It's okay. I won't grade you.

  [he hands her the chalk and Melinda sulks up to the blackboard and very hesitantly draws a really pathetic tree] 

  Mr. Freeman : That's a pretty good start. Yeah, let's see what it looks like at the end of the year.

• Mr. Freeman : You need to visit the mind of the great one. Picasso. Picasso, who saw the truth. Who painted the truth. Who ripped it from the earth with two angry hands.

• Mr. Freeman : [describing his painting]  It's night in Venice. This is the color of an accountant's soul - a love rejected. This, I once grew mold on an orange this color when I was living in Boston. And these are various members of the school board. You see, if somethings eating at you you gotta find a way to use it.

• Mr. Freeman : [to Melinda]  Hey! You're the tree. Uh, you can eat lunch in here if you want. It's against school rules, but I'm kind of a rebel.

  [gives Melinda a sheet of paper] 

  Mr. Freeman : Wow, uh. It's not a place mat. The rule is if you're gonna be in here, you need to be working, so choose your weapon.

  [puts some pencils in front of Melinda] 

  Mr. Freeman : Do something, anything. Hey, does this inspire you?

  [points to the radio] 

  Mr. Freeman : No?

  [changes the radio station] 

  Mr. Freeman : Hmm?

  [Melinda nods her head] 

  Mr. Freeman : So are you going trick or treating tonight?

  Melinda Sordino : No.

  Mr. Freeman : Oh. You don't like candy?

  Melinda Sordino : I'm too old.

  Mr. Freeman : Oh, right. Yeah, I got kids, so I guess I never get too old.

  Melinda Sordino : Last year, we were witches.

  Mr. Freeman : Who's we?

  Melinda Sordino : My ex-best friends.

  [angrily crumbles up her drawing] 

  Mr. Freeman : What are you doing? No, no! You gotta give things a chance.

  [looks at the drawing] 

  Mr. Freeman : Close your eyes. Just do it. I'm the teacher. Can you picture a tree? Any tree.

  [sees Melinda's eyebrows bend] 

  Mr. Freeman : There it is. It's burned in your retina. You got it. Do it.

• Mr. Freeman : Hey, Melinda! I'm glad you're here.

  High School Student : Thanks for everything, Mr. F. I really hope I make enough money so I can afford one of your paintings.

  Mr. Freeman : [laughing]  Yeah, alright. Go on have fun! Make the world a better place.

  Melinda Sordino : You're leaving?

  Mr. Freeman : I like to swear. Play music. I hate giving grades.

  Melinda Sordino : [disappointed]  Have a nice life.

  Mr. Freeman : I'm here if you want to talk. Even if I'm not, you know, here.