Major Characters
Charlie Babbitt....................Tom Cruise
A young Los Angeles businessman who sells expensive sports cars.
Raymond Babbitt................Dustin Hoffman
A "high level" autistic man who lives in a home for the mentally
disabled in Ohio (Some words on autism follow the plot summary).
Susanna............................Valeria Golino
Charlie's Italian girlfriend.
Dr. Bruner.........................Jerry Molen
The administrator who is responsible for taking care
of Raymond at the Ohio home where he lives.
Plot Summary
Charlie is a young and struggling Los Angeles businessman who sells expensive cars
for a living. One day he receives word that his father, a man with whom he had not
spoken in years, had died back in Cincinnati, Ohio. Charlie returns to his childhood
home to take care of his father's property, only to find out that virtually all of his
dad's $3,000,000 estate was left to an unnamed person in a 'trust' (A legal document
giving property to another person).
After doing some investigating, Charlie learns that the trust was for a person who lived
in a home for the mentally disabled near his childhood house. While exploring this
institution with his girlfriend, Susanna, Charlie makes a nearly unbelievable discovery:
The person to whom the trust was given is an autistic man named Raymond Babbitt, who it
turns out is Charlie's older brother. Charley had never known he had a brother, for his
parents had never told him.
In his confusion, anger and greed, Charlie decides to take Raymond back with him. Raymond
is probably not prepared to leave the Ohio institution he has lived in his entire life,
but Charlie is determined to get what he thinks is his "fair share" of his father's
estate. Thus, Charlie decides to fight for legal custody (possession) of his new brother,
as a way of being able to get to the $3,000,000 that his father had left for Raymond.
In their journey back to Los Angeles, Raymond nearly drives Charlie crazy with the
maddening characteristics that are a function of his autism (see note below). But
eventually, Raymond has a profound influence on Charlie, and thus Charlie eventually
growsto love and accept his brother exactly as he is.
A note on autism: People who are autistic are believed to suffer from an abnormal
psychological state in which they have a severely limited understanding of reality. Perhaps
more importantly, it is believed they have little understanding of their own emotions, or
the emotions of other people. There is a wide range of autism that exists. Some people are
so autistic they can almost do nothing for themselves, and are completely dependent on
others for their everyday needs.
There are other autistics who are considered "high functioning," and thus are able to do
much on their own, although they may still be better off living in institutions that care
for the mentally disabled. Still other autistics are what are called "idiot savants," in
that they have the ordinary limitations of most autistics, but they also have special
mental skills that are reflective of pure genius. For example, in the case of Raymond,
he appears to have both the memory and basic math abilities of a computer, not a person.
Over the last several years (perhaps in part because of this movie), a growing body
of literature on the experience of autism has emerged that you may want to explore.
Much of this material is available on the web.
Some Words And Expressions that You may not KnowCharlie desperately tries to close a key business deal, and then learns of the death of his father.
The EPA.
The Environmental Protection Agency (An agency of the federal government).
A NASA Engineer
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (The guys who put the rockets into space).
Lamborghini.
The type of very expensive Italian sports cars
that Charlie buys and sells for a living.
A time frame.
Term used to describe the amount of time that one
has to get something done (In this case, to sell the cars).
I'm into him for $200,000.
Charlie's slangy way of saying that he has already
spent much money working with this car salesmen.
I have all my money tied up in these cars.
If money is "tied up" in something, it has already been spent on it.
If I don't get my money, I am fucked.
In this case, a crude and not common way to say "in big trouble."
I don't give a shit about your problems.
A crude and widely used variation of "I don't care."
I have sharkssnapping at my heals, and they could have taken my cars and business days ago.
Sharks are the vicious big fish that eat everything they can catch, though
this can also refer to "loan sharks," who are people who loan money for high
interest, often associated with organized crime."To snap" is to try and bite
down on, and a "heal" is the bottom part of the foot.
Fucking EPA. The whole world is choking on smog and they're
going to solve the problem by keeping my cars off the road.
Reference to the fact that the EPA will not allow cars to be sold unless
it can be proved that they do not cause too much air pollution.
If he doesn't get his money by 5:30, he's going to seize the cars.
"To seize" is a legal term meaning to take physical possession.
Come on, Come on. I need this
The greatest and most versatile of all English phrasal verbs, meaning
everything from "Be serious" to "Stop it." Here, meaning "hurry up!"
Mr. Bateman wants to back out on his cars.
"To back out" on a business deal is to decide you no longer want to do it.
Tell him the cars just passed EPA emissions and paperwork.
"EPA emissions" refers to the smog test that all cars must pass.
"Paperwork" is a useful word that refers to all the forms and other
documents that people must fill out and read to conduct business.
Tell him I'm knocking off five grand on each
car because I appreciate their business.
"To knock off" the price of something is to reduce it, in this
case by "five grand," which is a colloquial way to say $5,000.
Do you got it?
"Do you understand?"
They are passing, uh, have passed emission.
An interesting sentence which shows the critical distinction between the present
progressive and present perfect verb tenses (Charlie may no little about grammar,
but he knows the difference intuitively, and how it affects his business!).
Ready for Palm Springs?
A well-known vacation town about an hour from Los Angeles.
I'm seconds away from closing this deal and making 75 grand.
In business, "to close a deal" is to conclude it.
You've said 12 words. Consider it foreplay.
A funny line. "Foreplay" is the various sexual activity
that couples engage in before actual intercourse.
What's the big to do about thinking?
An interesting expression with a somewhat bizarre grammatical
construction. To "make a big to do" about something is to make
a big deal of, or act if something is important.
Your father's dead. I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do....
Put here to show you some possible things you can say if you are ever
told that someone close to the person you're speaking with has died.
We had a falling out a long time ago. We didn't get along.
A good noun (and phrasal verb) for a big argument that
often results in the two parties not speaking afterward.
There's really no point.
"The point" of any given sentence is what you are actually trying to communicate.
It can also mean, as in this case, the reason, or purpose of something.
Charlie and Susanna fly back to Ohio for the funeral, and soon learn that wealthy parents have various ways of passing on their wealth.
Let us consecrate ourselves to follow his
example of zest for life and civility to all.
Words that are typical at a funeral. "To consecrate" is a very official
way to say dedicate. "Zest" is an interesting word meaning enthusiasm
and energy. "Civility" refers to politeness and proper behavior.
We have to go over the details of the will with him.
"To go over" something is to discuss it (or perhaps review it).
A "will" is the official document people write in order to say who
they would like to give their possessions to after they die.
1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible.
A convertible is a car in which you can take off the roof.
The entire entry is the model of car Charlie's father had.
Straight eight dynaball transmission.
Slangy mechanical language to describe the engine of the car.
I know it by rote.
If you know something "by rote," you know it
perfectly in your head, without having to look at it.
The convertible and roses were his baby.
A colloquial way to refer to the great joys in Charlie's dad's life before he died.
I bring home a report card. It's almost all As.
A "report card" is the report that students get from their
schools telling parents how well their kids are doing.
An "A" is the best grade you can get on a report card.
Note Charile is telling a story in the "historical present" tense.
I go to the old man, and I ask him if I can take
the car out for a victory drive and he says 'no.'
"The old man" is a silly slang term for "father."
I sneak it out.
"To sneak out" something is to secretly take it.
Nothing I did was good enough for this guy.
A common complaint of kids about their parents.
We were pulled over.
The phrasal verb used when a policeman stops you on the road.
The other guy's dads bail them out in two
hours. He left me in prison for two days!
"To bail somebody out" is to get them out of jail by paying a security deposit.
It can also mean just to help somebody in a difficult situation.
I remember the day you left home so full of bitterness.
A useful word for anger and resentment.
I hearby bequeath to my son...the Buick convertible and
out right title to my prize winning hybrid rose bushes.
"To bequeath" is a very legal word meaning to give, which is only used in documents such
as a will. "Out right title" is another official term meaning complete legal ownership.
As for my house and property, they should
be placed in trust for the beneficiary.
Legal terms referring to "a trust," which is a document giving property
to a person who may not be capable of managing it himself. The "beneficiary"
is the person who receives the property.
The trustee controls the money.
A person who is in charge of managing the property in a trust for the beneficiary.
Why should I be disappointed. I got the rosebushes, didn't I?
A very funny line and a classic example of anger and sarcasm.
My father is in hell laughing his ass off.
"To laugh one's ass off" is a slangy way to say laugh a lot.
Charlie discovers the brother he never knew he had.
Wallbrook.
The name of the mental health institution where Raymond lives.
Jeopardy.
A truly great American institution. A popular TV game show where people are
tested on their knowledge of everything from Ancient History to Chinese Food.
For whose grandson was Camp David named?
The vacation retreat in the state of Maryland where
American Presidents go to get away from the White House.
I took on this burden out of loyalty to your father.
A "burden" is a source of great worry and stress.
In this case, a reference to Raymond.
I think you feel cheated out of a birthright.
Something you're entitled to just because of who you are.
Dad let me drive slow in the driveway.
The path of a house where cars are parked.
The seats were brown leather. Now they're pitiful red.
"Pitiful" is a powerful adjective meaning pathetic, or deserving pity.
He's an autistic savant.
A mentally disabled person with severe emotional problems,
but who is often, as in the case of Raymond, a type of genius.
He has a disability in sensing input. ::
Hey, English. You're talking over my head.
"To talk over the head" of someone is to speak
in such a way that they don't understand you.
Rituals.
Procedures that are characterized by a regular routine, such as
in this case, watching the same show every day at the same time
(It can also have the connotation of a religious ceremony).
What's the fucking point?
"What are you trying to say?"
He doesn't understand the concept of money :: That's poetic.
Literally "like poetry," but here it is used very
sarcastically to mean "this situation is ridiculous."
Whenever he gets nervous, he does "Who's on first?"
A comedy routine by Abbot and Costello, who were famous performers in the 1940s.
It is one of Raymond's favorite things to listen to, though he doesn't seem to get
the jokes, in which the question "Who's on first?" (referring to first base in a
baseball game) is a play on words. This is because the actual name of the person on
first is named "Who" (And the name of the person on second base is named "What").
He reads whatever he gets his hands on.
A common way to say "whatever he can find."
My main man, Vern.
A colloquial way to say "the person I can count on the most."
Are you taking any prescription medicine?
In the US., drugs are either sold "over the counter," in which case
you don't need a doctor, or by "prescription," in which case you need
a doctor's approval to buy the drug at the drug store.
When I touched him, he pulled away :: Don't take it personal.
"Don't be offended." (Though you should say "personally.").
The car disturbs him.
"To disturb" someone is to bother or annoy them,
although in this case it is used to mean scare.
I live in L.A.. Want to go see the Dodger's play?
LA. is the way everyone refers to Los Angeles, which as everyone knows, is America's
most wonderful city. The Dodgers are L.A.'s beloved professional baseball team.
Fernando Valenzuala.
A famous baseball pitcher for the Dodgers in the 1980s.
Charlie, Raymond and Susanna head off for Los Angeles, definitely without Dr. Bruner's approval.
I'm not supposed to be off the grounds for more than two hours.
A reference to the property that surrounds the
Wallbrook institution where Raymond lives.
The Presidential Suite.
The most expensive and fanciest room in a hotel.
Wow!
An alternative way to say "Oh my god!"
I'm going to be bookless.
An interesting word created by Raymond (meaning "without books).
I have $200,000 about to go to the shithouse.
"I'm about to lose $200,000."
Pepperoni night.
Reference to the fact that at Wallbrook, they
serve pepperoni pizza every Tuesday night for dinner.
I got a bit of a legal problem.
A "bit of" is good alternative way to refer to a small amount.
Look at this studio filled with glamorous merchandise.
"Glamorous" is beautiful, or having great charm. "Merchandise" are the
products that stores sell. These are words used by TV game shows to
describe products they give away (such as cars or furniture).
Wheel of Fortune. Our big bonanza of cash.
Another popular game show. A "bonanza" is a huge source of wealth.
Tapioca pudding.
Flavor of pudding made from a plant root that Raymond likes.
Jesus Christ!
Used to express strong emotions such as surprise or anger.
Those noises are none of your business.
What you say to a person who is trying to find
out about things that you prefer to keep private.
I'm not his brother, for Christ's sake.
Added at the beginning or end of sentences to express anger.
You don't know what I'm going through.
"To go through" something is a good expression that means to
experience or endure it. It usually has the connotation that
the person has experienced a lot of negative or exhausting things.
Dr. Bruner told you to bring him hear? :: That is bullshit!
The classic obscenity that generally means nonsense or lies,
or as in this case, refers to behavior that angers you.
Why? Because I'm pissed at him.
A slightly crude but very common way to say "angry at."
I'm going to keep him until I get my half of the inheritance. I deserve that.
Charlie's curious rationale for why he has decided to have Raymond stay with him.
What is my god damn crime?
When added as an adjective, it implies anger or other emotion.
(It's somewhat vulgar, so its best to avoid).
You use everybody.
When used as a verb in this sense, it is a powerful word which means to take
advantage of, or manipulate people, often while claiming to be their friends.
Susanna flies back to Los Angeles, leaving Charlie to take care of Raymond. Charlie slowly learns of the genius within his brother.
You're soaking wet.
"To soak" is to completely immerse in liquid. When used
as an adverb in this expression, it means "completely."
My father has stuck it to me.
"To stick it to" someone is to treat them badly.
Very clever boys. I'll be right back.
A more British alternative for smart, or quick-witted.
Tuesday we have pancakes with maple syrup.
A delicious syrup made from maple trees. Yummy!
You bet your butt.
A silly colloquial way to say "What I'm saying is true."
Tooth picks.
The tiny wooden sticks one uses to get food out of your teeth.
Don't make a scene!
What you tell someone whose behavior is becoming too loud or excited.
Stop acting like a fucking retard!
A crude insult for stupid, or someone who is mentally retarded.
What the fuck is this?
A cruder version of "the hell" that can be added to any "Wh question."
Are you fucking kidding me?
"To kid" somebody is to tease them, or perhaps just lie to them. Note again how
grammatically versatile "fuck" is, with it being used here as a an adverb.
No problem, whatsoever.
A useful word added to the end of negative sentences
for emphasis, which essentially means "not at all."
He's a voluntary patient. :: That's beside the point.
"That's not relevant to what I am saying."
Let's cut through the bullshit.
A direct and somewhat crude way to say "Let's
get to the precise point we need to talk about."
If you don't want to cut a deal, we can have a custody battle over him.
"To cut a deal" is to reach an agreement. A "custody battle" refers to a fight
in court over who has the legal right to take care of a child or disabled person.
My loan is past due.
The official status of loan if it has not been paid in time.
Remember, the Buick is in the A-3 main terminal.
A building at the end of a transportation line, such as at an airport or railroad station.
After a trip to the Cincinnati airport, the Babbitt brothers decide to drive rather than fly.
Everybody is boarding. Let's go.
"To board" is the verb you use when you're about to get on a plane.
Fatalities.
A more official word for "deaths."
I don't have time for this shit.
Crude and common. Note how "shit" can refer to a general situation or abstract concept.
American. Continental. United. Delta.
The names of major airlines in the US.
An L-10-11.
A type of airplane produced by the Lockheed company.
Quantas never crashed.
The national airline of Australia, and clearly an airline
that does not fly between Cincinnati and Los Angeles!
You're killing me, man.
Used here a colloquial verb to say "making life so difficult."
Driving a car on the interstate is dangerous.
The interstate highways that cross the country.
Come on Ray, Give me five!
What you say to a person you want to congratulate for having accomplished
something. After saying this, you put out your hand to slap the hand of the other
person. An American ritual, which is especially common at various ball games.
This guy's a fucking fruitcake.
A somewhat insulting but funny word that refers
to a strange person, or more colloquially, a "weirdo."
"What's the guy's name? Who's on first?"
Questions that are taken directly from the
Abbott and Costello comedy routine about baseball.
I have got to make up some time.
Here, meaning "to get back" (the time that was wasted).
My business is going down the fucking toilet, and were
in bumblefuck Missouri at the Honeymoon Heaven Hotel.
If something is "going down the toilet," it is failing or dying.
"Bumblefuck" is a variant of "Bumfuck," which is a very crude
generic name for any small town in the middle of nowhere.
This mystifies me.
"To mystify" is a great little verb meaning to confuse or fascinate.
Could I get an extension of that loan?
It would make a world of difference.
A cliché which means what it says: This would change everything.
Wednesday is fish sticks and green lime jello.
Two types of horrible food served in places like schools and mental
hospitals. "Jello" is a desert made of water, sugar and food coloring.
What is a sonnet?
A sonnet is a type of (Shakespearean) poem. Note that on
Jeopardy, every answer is said in the form of a question.
Legally, Bruner never established
a conservatorship of Raymond?
An official term for legal custody, or possession, of a person.
You set up a date for the custody hearing.
A legal proceeding in front of a judge to
determine who should get custody of a person.
A 1957 Studebaker. 0-60 in under 8 seconds.
A classic sport car. The second sentence refers to how fast the car can accelerate.
Never touch the steering wheel while I'm driving.
The part of the car that allows you to turn.
These aren't boxer shorts.
A type of men's underwear (the other type are called "briefs").
I got them at the K-mart in Cincinnati.
A well known department store that sells cheap goods.
You don't fool me with this shit for a second.
"I know what you are really thinking."
Cincinnati is a long way off.
Another way to say "far away."
You can't tell me you're not in there, somewhere.
Charlie's way of telling Raymond that he knows there
is more going on in Raymond's brain than he shows.
Charlie continues to learn about his brother the genius, as Raymond continues to find himself in constant trouble.
Good luck trying to find a shrink in this town.
A "shrink" great slang word for a psychologist.
Note that if you start a sentence with "Good luck doing..."
the speaker is implying that it isn't likely that it can be done.
Hey dip-shit, move it!
An interesting little insult meaning idiot or jerk.
He said, young man, go west!
"Go West, young man" was a famous expression in the
19th century when the American West was being settled.
Pony Express.
The mail service in the 19th century that delivered
letters to the Western states from back East.
He's artistic? :: No autistic. He lives in his own world.
A reasonable way to describe an autistic person.
What he does isn't intended to be annoying.
A good alternative word for irritating or bothersome.
I have just got to deal with this stuff.
Here, Charlie's way of saying "find a solution."
He's very high functioning. Most autistics can't speak.
In this case, with the ability to speak, read and calculate.
It's going to cost you $40,000 just to meet the EPA now.
A reference to the smog emission standards of the EPA.
Forgive me. I lost my secret decoder ring.
A fantasy toy for children and spies. A "decoder"
takes secret code and converts it into plain text.
12 minutes to Wopner.
A reference to Judge Wopner of the TV show "People's court," in which real people
agree to argue their disputes on the show rather than in a real court.
Ray, you're the $3,000,000 dollar man.
A sarcastic reference to the 1970s TV show called "The $6,000,000 Man."
Uh oh, fart.
The word for the passing of (intestinal) gas.
How can you stand that?
"How do you live with something so horrible?" If you
"can't stand" something, it means that you hate it.
Act weird and we don't get in.
"Weird" is a great word for strange or odd.
I'm from the A.C. Nielson company.
The company that determines how popular a TV show is by monitoring
what a small group of homes watch across the country.
You blew it! You don't get to see your People's Court!
"To blow it" is classic colloquial expression meaning
to do something very badly, or completely fail at it.
They're in their making legal history.
To make any type of history is to be in the process of doing something very
important, but note that this expression is usually used sarcastically.
If he doesn't get to see People's Court,
he's going to throw a fit on your porch.
"To throw a fit" is to start screaming and acting like a child. A
"porch" is a covered area outside a house, often used as a place to sit.
Ray, work with me on this one.
A way to say "try and cooperate."
The hip bone is connected to the leg bone...
Words of a famous song heard on the car radio.
My credit card's been rejected?
If a credit card is rejected, stores will not honor it because
the bank is saying that you have gone past your credit limit.
Ray, this isn't a riddle.
A "riddle" is a difficult question that requires a lot of thought,
often because the facts of the situation seem so strange.
It's a routine with Abbott and Costello. You're Abbott and Abbott.
A "routine" is a set dialog, often a comedy.
Charlie discovers the solution to a childhood mystery, and the importance of hot water in Raymond's life. Soon, the Babbitt brothers are off to Las Vegas.
Rinse.
What you tell someone to do when their mouth is still full of toothpaste.
Was I trying to say Raymond and it came out Rain Man?
Charlie's realization that his imaginary childhood friend was in fact his brother.
A short and sudden illness.
Another word for sickness or disease.
She was just 17, if you know what I mean...
The opening words to the classic song "I saw her standing there" by The Beatles.
Hot water burned baby!!
What Charley is screaming when Raymond turns on the bath water.
That's why they put you away? They thought you'd hurt me?
"To put somebody away" is a colloquial way to describe the process of
putting someone in a prison or hospital for a long period of time.
You didn't hang up. Does that mean were engaged?
"To hang up" is the only verb you want when you put the phone down
after a conversation. You are "engaged" if you decide to get married.
Tell me it's not over.
Charlie's general reference to his relationship with Susanna.
Chio.
A very European way to say "good-bye," that some
Americans who think they're pretty cool may use it.
Where the hell have you been?
A common addition to "Wh questions," to add emotion.
The cars are gone! They all want their down payment back!
The money you pay at the beginning, usually around 10%, for
the purchase of a car or house, before making monthly payments.
Son of a bitch!!
Crude insult, or as used here, a way to express great frustration.
The throw by Davis not in time!
A reference to a play in baseball (heard on the radio).
Watch it here on the replay.
Plays in major sports events are often "replayed" on TV.
Give me a break with this.
Here, it means "stop it," though it is also a great colloquial way of expressing anger
or disbelief when somebody says something you consider outrageous or false or ridiculous.
2 jacks, 2 aces.
Types of playing cards (Aces are the most valuable
cards, followed by kings, queens, jacks and 10s).
10s and picture cards are good for us.
The Aces, kings, queens, and jacks.
The casinos have house rules.
Casinos are places to gamble, often located in big hotels. "House rules"
are the rules that each casino has concerning their various games.
Never show you are counting cards.
A way of calculating the odds of winning in a game such as black jack (often called "21"),
by literally counting up thenumbers of the cards that are shown face up. Few people have
the mathematical skill to do it, but for the few geniuses that can do it, they must be
done discreetly, since it is actually illegal to do so.
It's the cardinal sin.
The most important and worst sin, which is a violation of a moral or religious law.
Pawn shop.
A store where you can get money for your possessions, but usually at
very discounted values. You are usually given a set amount of time
to buy back the product before it is sold to others.
Charlie puts Raymond's genius to the test in a Las Vegas casino, and Raymond soon learns to dance and socialize with the women of Vegas.
Do you want to hit? :: Hit me.
The thing to say when you want another card in the game blackjack.
There's no one in the world who can count a six deck shoe.
A set of cards composed of six 52-card sets, often used by
casinos precisely because it is almost impossible to count.
Ray, were in the middle of a hand.
The actual playing of the cards in a particular game.
Were kicking ass in Vegas.
In this context, "to kick ass" means to win.
Stop banging yourself.
Another way to say hit or slap.
OK, lets cash in.
Here, "to cash in" is the act of converting casino chips into real
cash. Actually, any asset, such as a stock or bond, can be cashed in.
I owe $3,500 for the Rolex.
A well known, very expensive brand of watch.
The room is comped.
A Las Vegas way of saying "free."
I'm free and clear.
"I have no debts to anyone."
Looking for a date?
The standard question that a prostitute asks a potential client.
Wow, I'm out of here.
A slangy way to say "I'm leaving."
10:00 O' clock. Daylight Savings time.
The time of the year when clocks are changed by
one hour in order to satisfy the wishes of farmers.
She's very sparkly.
"To sparkle" is to shine with flashes of light. "Sparkly" is not
actually a word, though you could say that Iris' dress was sparkling.
It's not a K-Mart suit.
Formal clothes for men, often worn in business offices.
I'll let you in on a little secret. K-Mart sucks.
"To let someone in on" something is to tell them something that may
be considered private. To say that something "sucks" is a very common
though somewhat crude way to say that it is bad.
It's a high-roller suite.
A hotel room for people who are gambling a lot of money.
Very sparkly. Very twinkly.
Stars will "twinkle" at night (literally have their light shine on and off), but again,
there is no such word as "twinkly," except possibly for young children and Raymond.
$3,000 tossed away at the wheel of fortune.
Here, "tossed away" means thrown away, or lost. The wheel of fortune
is both a popular TV show and popular game in Las Vegas casinos.
I'm sure I got carried away with the with the money.
"To get away" with something is to get too excited or confident.
You saved my ass.
A crude way to say "you helped me a lot."
You don't have to dance. I'm sorry I brought this up.
"To bring something up" is to begin to talk about it.
You have the only famous dancing hooker in Vegas.
A slang word for a prostitute.
You're the guy, so you're going to have to lead.
In slow dancing, one person "leads," and the other follows.
The Babbitt brothers leave Las Vegas for Los Angeles, and Charlie soon learns that there are other things as important as money.
Counting into a six deck shoe is quite a feat.
A "feat" is an interesting word that means a great accomplishment.
Close your mouth and go home. Those are the best odds you'll see.
The security director's way of telling Charlie that if
they try to count cards again, they may end up in jail.
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
Two entertainers form the 1930s who were famous as a dancing team in the movies.
Dad gave me a book of baseball trivia.
Generally useless facts that people love to memorize,
and the type of information tested on Jeopardy.
A psychiatric evaluation.
An official analysis of a patient by a psychologist.
This is not a close call. It's a formality.
A "close call" is any game or decision where its
difficult to judge what the outcome should be.
$250,000. No strings attached.
An offer made with "no strings attached" is one where there
is nothing in return expected of the person receiving the offer.
I'm not pissed off that he cut me out of his will.
"To be pissed off" is a common and colloquial way to say angry.
If you are "cut out of" something, you are no longer a part of it.
I was a prick. I never called him.
A "prick" is a very crude insult word for a jerk or
asshole (it is also a vulgar slang word for a penis).
Raspberry. Strawberry. Blueberry. Buckwheat.
The different types of pancakes that are made.
I'm just a doctor making a recommendation to the court.
"The court" is a common way to refer to a judge.
His case has been meticulously documented.
An excellent adjective meaning "thoroughly."
We've made more progress in a week than the last 20 years!
Charlie's assertion about Raymond's psychological
development during the time they spent together.
Did he have any emotional outbursts?
"Outburst" is a good word for a sudden or violent display of emotion.
You don't have to be so defensive.
In this case, meaning that the person is constantly
trying to protect himself from criticism.
No accusations.
Another word for charges or criticisms.
When we started out together, he was only my brother in name.
A way to say "officially or legally," but not in any other way, such as emotionally.
I made a connection.
Here, meaning an emotional connection, between brothers.
Can you make a distinction between your brother and Wallbrook?
"To make a distinction" is to understand and see the difference.
All right. You made your point.
"You communicated what you wanted to."
Amtrak.
The name of the government-run train.
It has your cheese-balls, notebooks and "Who's on First" video.
Really horrible snacks, usually preferred by small kids and not adults.
Shiny train.
A good adjective meaning bright, usually because of reflecting light.
Mystifying.
A great word meaning puzzling, mysterious and perhaps fascinating.
______________________Rain ManPossible Topics for ESL Discussion
1) How did Charlie change from the beginning of the film to the end?
2) Was it in Raymond's best interest to travel to Los Angeles with Charlie?
Would it have been in his best interest to stay and live with Charlie?
3) Was Charlie "entitled" to 1/2 of his father's estate?
4) Do you know anybody like Raymond?
5) How is it possible to be a genius in math and still think
a candy bar and a car both cost about one dollar?
6) Did you like this movie? Why? Why not?