This movie I know will have a variety of reviews—many will think it is a waste of time or not find the humor in it. Others may enjoy it, but for some reason I LOVE Sandra Bullock in this movie. I was endeared by her optimistic, quirky character and here is why…

Mary Horowitz: crossword puzzle creator, loves words, wears red boots with everything, she is an eternal optimist despite what others say, she is smart, pretty and just wants to be normal—she thinks! She speaks 17 different languages, knows an unending number of random facts, talks to her pet hamster “Carol” and is such a joy to be around that her parents let her live with them, while her apt is being “fumigated” (for years).

Here are some great quotes and lessons learned from this cute movie…

Mary LOVE’S Crosswords, so there are some good quotes to take to heart

In life as in crosswords, some days are harder than others, and that’s what keeps your brain alive. To keep surviving those tough days is to pick yourself up, and stay focused on your life’s purpose. For me, that’s imparting the joy of crosswording to all mankind. Ahhh.. crosswording the most spectacular fun a person can have without passing out. -Mary         I think all of us have those moments where we need some sort of distraction to pull us through a tough spot in our life. I think each of us has our own way of dealing with things, whether it is losing yourself in a golf game, reading the paper, doing a crossword, swimming laps…some days may be harder & having a good outlet to let go is a good thing.

We really should try and make it work, because, so he decides for me to be normal, then normal we shall be.
– Mary          Mary wanted so desperately to feel normal, to be accepted, to be on the path to what everyone expects, so she decided if Steve wanted her to be normal, than that was what she was going to strive for. I think too often we can get caught in the trap of what everyone else expects us to be, to do, to dress like, to…we get lost for a bit, until we are able to define who it is we truly want to be.

Yes crosswords are a lot like life in that way, they’re only boring if you don’t have sense of adventure. – Mary          Life does need a bit of adventure, even little things. The other night I went on a hike with my husband & came across a large log across a stream. It wasn’t very high & the water wasn’t too deep, but I wanted a little sense of adventure, so I looked at my husband and said, “I am going to cross it!” I knew if I fell in, it would be a little swim, but I wanted that little sense of adventure, so I went for it. We need that every now and then.

Mary is not a psycho, you’re the psycho. She’s just a smart girl with red boots. – Angus          Often we are judged by the clothes we wear, the way we talk, the things we say. But I hope over time we can realize that what others say doesn’t matter unless we make it matter. I have had many discussions with my young daughter about people calling her things like, “Fat”, “Little Miss Perfect”, “Brainiac”…I have always looked at her and said, “Do you think you are fat or perfect or…” I always explain that others may say all sorts of things they think, but its what you think about yourself that truly matters the most.

Mary: You know one of my favorite ingredients in crossword is, perseverance. If you quit a puzzle you can’t finish it.
Sure every once in a while you’ll run into a doozy that you can’t ever solve in a million years but if you stick with it, 
you’ll figure it out… eventually. Worst thing you can do is leave it unfinished. It’s never the solution is it?
Howard: You know what my favorite part of our crossword is? When you realized you know something you didn’t think you knew.

She doesn’t pretend to be someone that she’s not. -Steve (about Mary)          This was a hilarious part in the movie. The one time Mary steps out of her natural character this is what happens. (shorter skirt, bra showing, wild catastrophe) I think this is a great lesson for all of us. We should always be striving to be ourselves, no pretending, no illusions of self, just straight up who we are. No regrets.

Words, people, words. There are meaningful words, there are pointless words, and then, there are words that hurt.
Mary why can’t you be like every other girl, why do you know all that useless information…why do you wear those stupid, red boots all the time – Mary          We have all experienced all of these types of words and people. What have you learned?

I wear these red boots because it feels like ten friends on a camping trip! -Mary          Mary tried to take her own happiness everywhere she went.     What do you do to try and make your life a little brighter?

He was my ticket to normal -Mary     Why do you want to be normal? -deaf girl          I thought this was a great example of times in our life where we hold a certain expectation of something & then reality brings us back to truly understanding what it is we really need in our life.

If life is like a crossword puzzle, then its worth, its greatness should be judge in the same way.
Is it solvable? Is it entertaining? Does it sparkle?- Mary        I just loved her positive way of being.

Mary, Don’t ever change for anybody. -Steve           Redemption! Finally. Mary gets the lesson & so does Steve.

New York Times crosswords editor Will Shorts says, “we have a natural compulsion to fill empty spaces.” I like to think he means not just crosswords, but the empty spaces inside of us that come from making your way in a world that doesn’t always embrace unique. I tried to fill my empty spaces with words, and puzzles, and steve. But that wasn’t the answer. Now I know. On the journey of life just find someone as normal as you, if not a whole bunch. -Mary          I love that analogy of finding oneself. We often FILL our voids, our spaces with many things (good and bad) in hopes that we will FEEL something. The world and all that is in it will not make us a better version of ourself, that is up to us.

Oh, and here’s a little bit of fresh Mary Horowitz wisdom,if you love someone set him free, if you have to stalk him he probably wasn’t yours in the first place. – Mary          Just a cute, funny, silly show with heart.

On the journey of life find someone as normal as you. -Mary

It is a sweet show with heart. I hope all these fun images made you want to watch. smile. smile. FYI–There is a little scene in the van where she jumps Steve & it gets a little hot. There are also a couple of swear words, but other than that—I truly enjoyed the journey. Enjoy and make your own judgement!