My 25 Favorite Quotes From 10 Things I Hate About You In Honor Of It's 25th Anniversary
I still remember where I was and who I was with when I saw this movie in theaters. I think it was one of, if not for sure the first real adult-ish movie my parents went to see with no objections or delay. I was 12 at the time, and normally it was you can see it but it's a lot easier if someone's parents were there. This one had no real pushback. it was going to be me and my friend in the theaters, popcorns and sodas and jokes we fully didn't comprehend but awkwardly laughed at anyway. Before cellphones and high speed internet, it was paradise for a 12 year old in Suburban America.
As far as this movie, it's still one of my favorites, and yes I feel old that it's on. it's 25th anniversary. Always a high draft pick in the teen movies or high school movies drafts, I still say this one holds up really well even after all these years. Absolutely loaded cast, including my favorite actress of all time ... Julia Stiles who I still say will win multiple Oscars, she just needs the right script. Loaded cast, but even with a loaded cast, and a semi decent plot, you need good lines and this movie has that and then some. I thought a good gimmick would be my 25 favorite lines from the movie with some commentary in between ... away we go.
25- Cameron: I learned French for you!
We talked about this on Healthy Debate as Gary from Queens brought up a good point of all the little shit you do in high school to try and impress a girl but it makes you the biggest simp ever. Like going tanning or paying for food, or buying certain clothes. All the things you think will make them like you but really make you look like a dweeb. No one admits it, but we all do it... and rather not talk about it.
24- Joey: Mr. Morgan, is there any chance we could get Kat to take her Midol *before* she comes to class?
Mr. Morgan: Someday, you gonna get bitch-slapped and I'm not gonna do a thing to stop it.
In terms of laughs per screen time, Mr. Morgan's ratio is through the roof. Just perfect on every delivery for all like 8 of his lines. This one is the best of the bunch. Back in 99 this was believable for a teacher to be able to break balls like this. Now they would have his liscense revoked faster than he can blink. I don't think Andrew Keegan has a line appear on my list, but shoutout him he plays a perfect douche in this movie. I still find myself liking him because he's so good at it.
23- Bianca: Has the fact that you're completely psycho managed to escape your attention?
Feel like Dave Portnoy needs to break this out on me (or any other one of the clinically insane people we got working here) one day. Right up his alley. Side note - I wonder if he even likes this movie, or saw it for that matter but I'm too afraid to ask. I think he was like 30 in 1999 so not really sure.
22 - Kat Stratford: What is it, Asshole Day?
Usable everyday and everytime you are in traffic or encounter people you just didn't want to see.
21- Kat Stratford: You don't always have to be who they want you to be, you know?
Essentially the message of the movie. High School is super go with the flow and fit in at any cost and Kat teaches Bianca there is more to life than that having lived both sides of the popular and the unpopular.
20 - Walter Stratford: You're 18, you don't know what you want. And you won't know what you want 'til you're 45, and even if you get it, you'll be too old to use it.
The dad is on fire this entire movie. Super over the top and plays super over the top characters in everything he's in but his lines crush in this movie. Also, a super valuable life lesson. At 18 I think everyone thinks they have the world figured out while they don't have a clue. It takes you til about 30 to realize how dumb you were.
19- Cameron: We are screwed.
Michael: Hey, no, hey. I don't wanna hear that defeatist attitude... I wanna hear you upbeat!
Cameron: [more upbeat] We are screwed!
Michael: There ya go.
I would take a buddy cop movie with Mike and Cameron in a second. Perfect combo.
18- Bianca: You don't buy black lingerie unless you want someone to see it.
Bonk away but something about Larisa Oleynik saying this line always stuck with me. She was adorable in this movie and everyone I knew had a massive crush on her from this movie.
Fun fact: she got her acting career started as Cosette in Les Mis. Maybe one day we can sing show tunes together.
17- Bianca: People expect me to be there!
Walter Stratford: Kat's not going, you're not going!
Bianca: Why can't you be normal?
Kat Stratford: Define normal.
Bianca: Bogey Lowenstein's party is normal.
Walter Stratford: What's a Bogey Lowenstein?
Kat Stratford: Bogey's party is just a lame excuse for all the idiots at our school to drink beer and rub up against each other in hopes of distracting themselves from the pathetic emptiness of their meaningless...
Bianca, Chastity: ...meaningless, consumer-driven lives.
I don't know anyone who talked like this in high school but any line with "drink beer and rub up against each other" is very funny and very accurately describes high school and high school parties. If asked basically on any weekend "what do you want to do tonight" my answer would be "drink beer and rub up against somebody" in fact that's basically the goal. Almost everyone is trying to do one, two is like hitting the lottery. I thought this movie did a great job capturing high school authentically.
16- Patrick: Some asshole paid me to take out this really great girl.
Kat Stratford: Is that right?
Patrick: Yeah, but I screwed up. I, um, I fell for her.
Call me a hapless romantic, I loved this line. Also not to get nitpicky but are we sure Kat forgives Patrick ? Being paid to be taken out seems like something she would never ever forgive, but I think that guitar must be really sweet being a guy who knows nothing about instruments if she forgives him that quickly.
How long do we think these two date ? No chance she and him can survive long distance but it ends happily so lets just focus on that.
15- Patrick: So what's your excuse?
Kat Stratford: For?
Patrick: Acting the way we do.
Kat Stratford: I don't like to do what people expect. Why should I live up to other people's expectations instead of my own?
Patrick: So you disappoint them from the start and then you're covered, right?
Kat Stratford: Something like that
Patrick: Then you screwed up!
Kat Stratford: How?
Patrick: You never disappointed me.
Again, I'm a sucker for the romantic lines ... sue me. PS- Julia Stiles is so damn good in this movie.
14- Kat Stratford: I guess in this society, being male and an asshole makes you worthy of our time.
Not to get all woke but this is very true. Look at how many documentaries OJ got.
13- Cameron: Just 'cause you're beautiful, that doesn't mean that you can treat people like they don't matter.
Interesting how many people push the limits on this one though... especially in High School.
12- Walter Stratford: You know fathers don't like to admit it when their daughters are capable of running their own lives. It means we've become spectators. Bianca still let's me play a few innings - you've had me on the bench for years. When you go to Sarah Lawrence, I won't even be able to watch the game.
Kat Stratford: *When* I go?
Walter Stratford: Oh, boy. Don't tell me you changed your mind. I already sent 'em a check.
[Kat gasps in surprise, then hugs her father]
When it comes down to it, this is the real crux of the movie. The dad fighting to hold on, the daughter fighting for him to let go. Deep down he knows she has to go to the school, he just wishes she was still his little girl. Thought they did a tremendous job with this scene as well.
11 - Cameron: She never wanted me. She wanted Joey the whole time.
Patrick: Cameron, do you like the girl?
Cameron: Yeah.
Patrick: Yeah, and is she worth all this trouble?
Cameron: Well, I thought she was, but you know, I...
Patrick: Well, she is or she isn't. See first of all, Joey is not half the man you are. Secondly, don't let anyone ever make you feel like you don't deserve what you want. Go for it.
Another life lesson I feel we all learn too late. You want something go for it, and stand up for yourself when you want it. Patrick is the older brother / hype man Cameron needs, and Cameron is the level headed voice Patrick needs to acclimate himself into society. They work well together and non better than with stuff like this.
10- Mr. Morgan: All right... anyone brave enough to read theirs aloud?
[Everyone looks at each other, waiting to see who goes first, Kat finally raises her hand]
Kat Stratford: I will.
Mr. Morgan: [rolls his eyes and sighs] Lord, here we go.
Kat Stratford: I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair. I hate the way you drive my car. I hate it when you stare. I hate your big dumb combat boots, and the way you read my mind. I hate you so much it makes me sick; it even makes me rhyme.
[sighs]
Kat Stratford: I hate it, I hate the way you're always right. I hate it when you lie. I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry.
[Kat's voice breaks and she looks at Patrick]
Kat Stratford: I hate it when you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call.
[starts to cry]
Kat Stratford: But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.
[Kat walks out the classroom]
Had to put this at 10 consider it's the reason for the title. Also took me about 20 watches and then my dad pointing it out that this was the inspiration for the title. Literally never knew. Pretty cool way to work it in when you think about it though. Also just another perfect scene from Julia Stiles. Seriously, why isn't hollywood writing scripts for her she's fucking awesome.
9- Patrick: I thought you wanted out.
Cameron: Yeah, well, I did, but, uh... that was until she kissed me.
Patrick: Where?
Cameron: In the car.
If Michael and Cameron don't get a buddy cop movie, give me Patrick and Cameron as roommates in a sitcom. Their chemistry works.
8- Ms. Perky: So, I hear you were terrorizing Mr. Morgan's class... again.
Kat Stratford: Expressing my opinion is not a terrorist action.
Ms. Perky: The way you expressed your opinion to Bobby Ridgeway? By the way, his testicle retrieval operation went quite well, in case you're interested.
Kat Stratford: I still maintain that he kicked himself in the balls.
To double down that someone kicked themselves in the balls takes a spin zone I never ever could have imagined.
7- Walter Stratford: [Bianca and Chastity are sneaking past Bianca's father] Shoulda used the window!
Bianca: Hi Daddy!
Walter Stratford: Hi... where're we going?
Bianca: Well, if you must know... a small study group of friends.
Walter Stratford: Otherwise known as an orgy?
Chastity: Mr. Stratford, it's just a party!
Walter Stratford: And hell is just a sauna.
The dad bats 1.000 in this movie. Every line works despite having no reason to work.
6- Walter Stratford: This morning, I delivered a set of twins to a fifteen-year-old girl, do you know what she said to me?
Bianca: "I'm a crack-whore who should have made my skeazy boyfriend wear a condom"?
Walter Stratford: Close, but no. She said, "I should have listened to my father".
Bianca: She did not.
Walter Stratford: Well, that's what she would have said if she wasn't so doped up!
File this under lines that crack me up but can never be used again in movies. Different times in 1999 folks.
5- Michael: Sweet love, renew thy force.
Start of Shakespeare's Sonnet LVI]
Patrick: Hey! Don't say shit like that to me. People can hear you.
More of Michael,Patrick and Cameron . They don't miss.
4- Michael: I have a dick on my face, don't I?
Banger.
3- Cameron: And I'm BACK IN THE GAME!
Every time I ever got insanely ahead of myself while having a crush on a girl who showed any affection back I used this line. It's just perfect. Cameron goes from the lowest of lowest to the highest of highs in a matter of seconds, and in just one night. High school romance folks.
Sidenote : Was Bianca playing Joey the whole time or did she actually like him at one point ? I still don't fully know.
2- Mr. Stratford makes Bianca wear a pregnancy belly before leaving for a party, Patrick arrives and sees her
Patrick: [to Kat] Who knocked up your sister?
Cracks me up everytime. Would be the best line of the movie if not for ...
1 - Patrick: What is it with this chick? She have beer-flavored nipples?
Just perfect. One of my top ten lines in all movies.