The Outsider Quotes

Kiyoshi: Kiyoshi. My name is Kiyoshi.

Nick Lowell: Nick.

Kiyoshi: I need your help. When someone tries to commit suicide in prison, they take you to the hospital. Once I am there, my brothers will come for me. And then, I will have them come for you. Okay?

Nick Lowell: [nods]

Kiyoshi: I need you to keep me from dying and make sure the guards come.

[stabs himself]

Nick Lowell: [in Japanese] Guard! Guard! Hey! Hey! Help! Hey! Help! He cut himself!

Guard: Number 129. Emergency! Ring the emergency bell!

Orochi: [in Japanese] The entire Shiromatsu family would like to start by thanking you for what you did for our member. Do you speak Japanese?

Nick Lowell: A bit.

Orochi: [in English] Kiyoshi says we should offer you a job. We have a problem with one of your fellow Americans. We have tried to reason with him for a while now. Maybe you could help us with that.

Nick Lowell: Yeah, maybe I could.

Orochi: Good.

Kiyoshi: He's all bloody. Did you kill him?

Nick Lowell: He'll live.

Orochi: [in Japanese] Why is he still hanging around here?

Kiyoshi: What do you mean?

Orochi: That gaijin has already served his purpose, hasn't he?

Kiyoshi: Why? He doesn't mean shit to me.

Orochi: You sure?

Kiyoshi: Don't worry. It's fine.

Orochi: What's fine? I'm asking you if you owe him a debt.

Kiyoshi: And I said no.

Orochi: Listen, Kiyoshi. He doesn't care about you or this family. Send him away. Okay?

Nick Lowell: [walks up as Orochi exits] He doesn't like me very much, does he?

Nick Lowell: A penguin walks into a bar. Says to the bartender, have you seen my brother? Bartender looks at the penguin and says, what's he look like?

Kiyoshi: [laughs and repeats in Japanese] A penguin walks into a bar and asks the bartender, have you seen my brother? What's he look like? A penguin, of course.

[pauses]

Kiyoshi: Everyone, laugh. Laugh. Whatever it means, laugh.

Nick Lowell: Whose place is this?

Kiyoshi: Yours, if you want it.

Nick Lowell: It's nice.

[looks out of the window]

Kiyoshi: Think about it. There's a suit in the closet. Should fit you.

Nick Lowell: What's the story with his fingers?

Kiyoshi: When you dishonor your boss and you want to show remorse, you give your finger. It's called otoshimae.

Nick Lowell: I see you've got all your fingers.

Kiyoshi: I guess I got lucky.

Kiyoshi: [in Japanese] What are you doing here?

Miyu: What does it look like? I'm dancing.

Kiyoshi: I told you not to come here.

Miyu: Why? What's wrong?

Kiyoshi: No reason. Just go home.

Miyu: No.

Kiyoshi: Don't test me. What would you do if the Seizu men walked in with guns in their hands?

Miyu: [chuckles] Why would they come? Where are they?

Kiyoshi: I'm saying what if they came?

[in English]

Kiyoshi: Nick. Take my sister home. She's drunk.

[to Miyu in Japanese]

Kiyoshi: That's enough. He's taking you home. Go home.

Miyu: Thank you for taking me home.

Nick Lowell: Yeah.

Miyu: Um... I'm gonna close the door now.

Nick Lowell: You're very beautiful.

Miyu: Thank you.

Nick Lowell: You're welcome.

Miyu: You want to come in?

Nick Lowell: [quickly] Yes.

Miyu: Morning.

Nick Lowell: I should go.

Miyu: You should.

Kiyoshi: Orochi says the US Army is shipping guns back to the States. Their plan is to sell some of it before it leaves the port. The US Army cannot know that the Shiromatsu is involved.

Nick Lowell: Makes sense.

Kiyoshi: You will have to do this on your own. I understand if you won't do this, but if it goes right, everything will change.

Nick Lowell: And if it goes wrong?

Kiyoshi: It will come down on you and no one else.

Nick Lowell: Sounds like fun.

Kiyoshi: She's 28 years old. She can meet whoever she wants, marry whoever she wants.

Nick Lowell: But not me.

Kiyoshi: Not Yakuza. The people here, they cannot love anyone. You understand?

Nick Lowell: What if I promised you she'd be safe with me?

Kiyoshi: What if I told you that before the war, four men killed Akihiro's wife and his son? Akihiro found them and for three days, he kept them alive, begging for their deaths, their mothers, while he cut off everything that identified them as human beings. Yakuza can never have that. To become a Yakuza is a choice. You trade one type of family for another. You can never go back.

Nick Lowell: So why does she work for you?

Kiyoshi: So I can watch her, keep her safe. I have many brothers, but only one sister. She was a virgin.

Nick Lowell: I don't think so.

Kiyoshi: [long pause] Don't see my sister. Congratulations. Now we are real brothers.

Miyu: Do you know what your tattoo means? Do you know what it means? It's a fable. The koi fish who can swim up a waterfall becomes a dragon. It means you're arrogant.

[laughs]

Nick Lowell: What do your tattoos mean?

Miyu: What? Mine?

Nick Lowell: Yeah.

Miyu: Do you get the same one as me?

Nick Lowell: You have two koi fish.

Miyu: I do. One swimming up, and one swimming down.

Nick Lowell: I understand.

Miyu: You do? Tell me.

Nick Lowell: Well... I guess, in life, sometimes we fight the current. And other times, it's important to flow with the river.

Orochi: [to Nick] You understand? You understand my English?

[shouts]

Orochi: Huh?

Paulie Bowers: Nick? Nick fucking Lowell? You gotta be fucking kidding me.

Nick Lowell: Wow.

Paulie Bowers: You look pretty fucking good for a dead man.

[pushed by Nick]

Paulie Bowers: Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey, it's me. It's Paulie. I'm just on weekend leave. Let me buy you a drink. You got somewhere you need to be? Or you got five minutes for an old friend? Captain?

Nick Lowell: Congratulations.

Paulie Bowers: It's bullshit. Three years in Okinawa. There's no one fighting anymore, so what's the point of this?

Nick Lowell: I don't know.

Paulie Bowers: You ever go out there? Where they dropped the first one?

Nick Lowell: No.

Paulie Bowers: I did. The fucking rats almost built it all up again. But look at you. Looks like you made a good fucking life for yourself, dressed up like a lounge singer. You live here? Osaka?

Nick Lowell: I got a little place.

Paulie Bowers: You weren't always so calm and quiet. You know that?

Nick Lowell: Maybe you just didn't know me so well.

Paulie Bowers: No, I guess not. I got leave for another day. I should come by, see your place.

Nick Lowell: No.

Paulie Bowers: No?

Nick Lowell: No. Your five minutes is up.

Paulie Bowers: Is that how it is, huh? Can't drink with a guy from your own fucking unit?

Nick Lowell: Yeah.

[leaves money]

Nick Lowell: Congrats on your stripes.

Paulie Bowers: Yeah? Hey, fuck you. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were dodging court-martial. Can't wait to hear what the guys are gonna say when I tell them who I bumped into. I'm sure someone would love to come pay you a visit.

Nick Lowell: No, you know what? I'm sorry. Why don't you come back and have a drink with me? Old times.

Paulie Bowers: You can see half of Osaka from here.

Nick Lowell: Not bad, huh?

Paulie Bowers: [sees American beer] Americans?

Nick Lowell: I still got a couple contacts.

Paulie Bowers: Cheers. Old times sake!

Nick Lowell: Old times sake.

Paulie Bowers: Listen, I know you're not in the Army anymore, and I can see you got a good thing going here. Man, I always liked you. Don't worry, okay? Your secret is safe with me.

Nick Lowell: Thank you. I appreciate that.

Paulie Bowers: Alright. Jesus man, I mean...

Nick Lowell: Yeah. You like whiskey?

Paulie Bowers: Yeah.

Nick Lowell: I have got a surprise for you.

Paulie Bowers: Do your best.

Nick Lowell: [whispers from behind] I'm sorry.

Paulie Bowers: What?

[Nick kills Paulie]

Nick Lowell: Miyu?

[is ignored]

Nick Lowell: Miyu? Are you okay? Hey, hey.

[sees her bruised face]

Nick Lowell: Who did this to you?

Miyu: Just go.

Nick Lowell: Who did this to you?

Miyu: There's a baby in me! There's a baby in me. It's ours.

Nick Lowell: Who hurt you?

Miyu: [in Japanese] It doesn't matter who did this to me. Just leave it. Maybe you want to protect me, but I don't want that. Do you get it? I've been fine my whole life. I'm fine with it.

Nick Lowell: I betrayed you. She's gonna have a kid. You want me to leave? I'll leave. You say the word.

Kiyoshi: You leave my sister with your child? Is that who you are?

Nick Lowell: I don't know.

Kiyoshi: Get inside.

[in Japanese]

Kiyoshi: Hang on.

[in English]

Kiyoshi: You know what these are? They were my father's. He left our home when I was young. My sister was a baby. The day he left, he was drunk, and he came to me in the night with these. And he said, "this is daisho. One for war, one for honor. One to kill, one to decapitate. One for murder, one for suicide." Katana and wakizashi.

[pause]

Kiyoshi: This never left a warrior's side, even in his sleep. It was his honor. My father told me the daisho was mine now. Because I was the one with a family to look after. My sister.

[hands swords to Nick]

Kiyoshi: She's yours to protect now. You understand? If you are my brother, take them.

Nick Lowell: [takes swords] There's just one other thing.

Orochi: The Shiromatsu family no longer exists. The head of the Seizu is a generous man. He wants all of you to live.

[to Nick in English]

Orochi: For you, I can offer you peace if you leave Osaka and your woman behind. We make no promises for her safety if you stay.

[in Japanese]

Orochi: Do you accept?

[in English]

Orochi: You're all idiots!

Nick Lowell: [quietly] Akihiro. He's dead. He's gone. Orochi, he killed him. Now, you pack a bag and we go together. Yes?

Miyu: Yes.

Nick Lowell: Okay. Now get your things, and we leave. Now. Now!

Nick Lowell: I want you to allow me to kill him. Give this warrior a weapon and let him show us how strong and brave he really is.

[to Orochi]

Nick Lowell: What do you have to fear?

[in Japanese]

Nick Lowell: Brother?

Orochi: You walk into my home, you take my brother, you poison my father's mind. Poison him against me. Someone has to put out the fire.

[takes Nick's sword]

Orochi: You think you are a Yakuza with this? You aren't a Yakuza. You are a gaijin. Outsider. You are just the way my brother found you.

[yells]

Orochi: Get up! No, I won't fight you.

Anthony Panetti: Look, I'm sure you got respect for these people because they wear silk pajamas and they bow like you're the fucking sun god when they pour the coffee. Frankly, I don't give a shit about their rules or their traditions or whatever the fuck it is that you're here to try to explain to me. We won! What's the point of winning a war if now you gotta worry about stepping on Japs' toes?

Nick Lowell: I wouldn't call them Japs.

Anthony Panetti: [scoffs] Okay. So you're one of those?

Nick Lowell: One of what?

Anthony Panetti: I got a deal with the United States Army. Your fucking country gives me metal at two cents a cubic yard. Do you know where they get this metal from? Any idea? They get it from breaking down war machines that these fucking Nips built to sneak attack us! So excuse me if they gotta buy it back from me cheap. Now, I don't know if you're banging some slanty-eyed broad and you're getting all gooked-out and sympathetic, but that's the way it is.

Nick Lowell: That's the way it is?

Anthony Panetti: That's the way it is. And now, you can get the fuck out of my office.

Prison Warden: [in Japanese] Get on your knees. Are you proud of yourself for saving him? You'd better mind your own business.

[to Kiyoshi]

Prison Warden: You thought you could get this note out? What is this?

[hits Kiyoshi and shows note to Nick]

Prison Warden: What is this? I'm asking you! What is this?

Nick Lowell: I don't speak Japanese.

Prison Warden: [hits Nick] Throw him in solitary.

[to Kiyoshi]

Prison Warden: Nobody knows that you're here. You'll never get out of here.

Nick Lowell: [sees Kiyoshi hanging] I got you!

[in Japanese]

Nick Lowell: Guard! Guard!

[in English]

Nick Lowell: I got you.