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The Best 'This Must Be the Place' Quotes, Ranked

Movie and TV Quotes
Updated October 27, 2023 8 items

"This Must Be the Place" movie quotes tell the tale of a retired musician who on a journey to avenge his late father's suffering, finds himself in the process. The drama film, directed by Paolo Sorrentino, first premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival where it earned critical praise. As the title is a tribute to the song by the same name from the Talking Heads, David Byrne of the band created original music for the film.

In "This Must Be the Place," Sean Penn portrays Cheyenne, a retired rockstar living a cushy yet boring life in Ireland. Upon news that his father is close to death, Cheyenne confronts his fear of flying and travels to New York to be with his father. Cheyenne unfortunately arrives too late, after his father's death, which brings him to a sad reality that his relationship with his father was distant at best.

In New York, Cheyenne learns that his father spent a great deal of his life searching for the Nazi officer who persecuted his father in Auschwitz but died having never found the man. Cheyenne takes up this search in his father's honor and turns it into an assassination mission. However, after his adventures lead him to that man, Cheyenne instead kills off an unneeded part of himself instead. Frances McDormand, Judd Hirsch, Eve Hewson, Kerry Condon and Heinz Leiven co-star in the film.

If "This Must Be the Place" is not quite your style of film there are plenty of others out in theaters at the same time including "Flight," "Cloud Atlas," "Wreck-It Ralph," "Nobody Walks," "The Sessions," "Silent Hill: Revelation 3D," "Chasing Mavericks," "Alex Cross," "Smashed," "Sinister," "Seven Psychopaths," "Argo," "Here Comes the Boom," "The Paperboy," "Taken 2," "Frankenweenie," "Butter," "Won't Back Down," and "Looper."


  • 1

    Fear

    Fear

    Cheyenne: "My father is dying of old age, a non-existent disease, and I haven't flown in 30 years."

    Jane: "Fear of flying isn't your only problem."

    Cheyenne: "That's true. I also have a mild fear of dying."

    Jane: "You can't die until you sell out those Tesco shares."

    Cheyenne: "What will you do while I'm away?"

    Jane: "The usual things"

    Cheyenne: "Take it easy on tai chi. Jane, can I ask you something?"

    Jane: "Sure, honey, what?"

    Cheyenne: "Why did you let an architect write cuisine on the kitchen wall? It's silly. I know it's the kitchen."

    Jane: "You come back to be soon. You know I can't live without you."

    Cheyenne: "That's not true but it's kind of you to say."

    About to leave to travel to New York City, Cheyenne gives his goodbyes to wife Jane and remarks about his fears in life. The heartfelt moment however only lasts that one moment as Cheyenne then begins to talk about their silly kitchen.
    19 votes
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  • 2

    First Thing About Him

    First Thing About Him

    Cheyenne: "I don't know the first thing about him."

    Richard: "All he ever did was search for his persecutor at Auschwitz. He never found him."


    Upon arriving in New York to learn that he did not make it in time before his father died, Cheyenne comes to the realization that he didn't even know his father. Richard fills him in on one thing that was important to his father.
    10 votes
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  • 3

    This Must Be the Place

    This Must Be the Place

    Tommy: "I know how to sing."

    Cheyenne: "I have no doubt but I don't know how to play."

    Tommy: "That's not true. My mom says you were a singer."

    Rachel: "He even sang with Mick Jagger."

    Cheyenne: "Actually Mick Jagger sang with me. It was his idea."

    Rachel: "Wow, rock history revealed right here in our house, Tommy."

    Tommy: "Can you play something? Please, just one song."

    Cheyenne: "I don't play anymore and besides I don't even know if I remember how."

    Tommy: "My music teacher says once you learn you never forget."

    Cheyenne: "Maybe he was just trying to be nice or he was just trying to worm some money out of you."

    Tommy: "Please, just one!"

    Cheyenne: "What do you want me to play?"

    Tommy: "'This Must Be the Place' by Arcade Fire"

    Cheyenne: "Nonsense. 'This Must Be the Place' is by the Talking Heads."

    Tommy: "No, it's by Arcade Fire."

    Cheyenne: "Trust me, you're delusional. 'This Must Be the Place' is by the Talking Heads. Arcade Fire only did a cover."

    Tommy: "Oh" [sings] "Home is where the..."

    Cheyenne: "Where are you going? I was just seeing if the guitar was in tune."

    Tommy: "Oh, sorry"


    Encouraged by a young boy to play some music on the guitar he's holding, Cheyenne tries to dodge the suggestion as well as possible. He also is forced to correct the boy who thinks that 'This Must Be the Place' is originally from Arcade Fire rather than the Talking Heads.
    12 votes
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  • 4

    MTV

    MTV

    Cheyenne: "Can you pass the cream please?"

    Jane: "Aren't you even curious to know what it's like?"

    Cheyenne: "Only up to a point"

    Jane: Oh my god, when you see those big black ones you've got to tell me. That's really gross. MTV has worldwide coverage, you know that? It's broadcast live. And this here, as a very special guest, after 20 years out of the spotlight they would like to have Cheyenne and the fellas."

    Cheyenne: "What's Lady Gaga..."

    Jane: "Don't you even want to think about it?"

    Cheyenne: "I already did think about it 20 years ago and I'm still busy."

    Jane: "I'm going to wait for you in bed... naked."


    Despite being out of the mainstream spotlight for a while now, MTV is still interested in featuring Cheyenne and his bandmates. Cheyenne however has his mind made up and still after 20 years wants nothing to do with the music channel.
    8 votes
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  • 5

    Handball

    Handball
    6 votes
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  • 6

    One Moment Not to Be Afraid

    One Moment Not to Be Afraid
    • Photo:

    Cheyenne: "You have to choose a moment in your life to not be afraid."

    Jane: "And have you chosen that moment?"

    Cheyenne: "This one."


    The death of Cheyenne's father has made Cheyenne reassess his life and finally for once he may be ready to break out of the rockstar life he's known for so long and grow into a real person. Choosing not to be afraid is one step to doing just that.
    9 votes
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  • 7

    A General Sort of Way

    A General Sort of Way

    Mordecai: "You know about the Holocaust?"

    Cheyenne: "In a general sort of way"

    Mordecai: "And your father, did you know your father?"

    Cheyenne: "In a general sort of way"

    As he discusses his plans to locate his father's Nazi guard, Cheyenne is asked about what he really knows about the Holocaust and his father. The answers are both the same and neither quite definitive.
    7 votes
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  • 8

    Mick Jagger

    Mick Jagger
    • Photo:

    Rachel: "I remember you. You sang with Mick Jagger once."

    Cheyenne: "Actually, Mick Jagger sang with me."


    Cheyenne might not have been relevant for many years but still in his head he is a very important person in the world of rock music, including being above Mick Jagger. 
    8 votes
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