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I Love You, Man · 2009 — Chapter 18 of 19 · 5'00" · B2

Peter Confronts Sydney Over Billboards, Explained: sick of

Sydney spent Peter's money on billboards, and the fallout is everything: Peter says it ruined his career and his engagement. The fight is about boundaries — Sydney shared a private conversation — and Peter finally snaps: "I am so sick of your ridiculous rules."

What happens

Peter discovers that the money he lent Sydney went into billboards with Peter's face on them, which costs him his career and his relationship. He and Sydney argue over privacy and jealousy, then agree to spend time apart, and Peter tells Sydney not to come to the wedding. Peter later goes to Denise and Barry's and apologizes to Zooey.

ArgumentsApologiesConfrontingApologizingFriendsB2fastamerican
IMDb ↗

Listen for

put upsick oflet's not forgetwind up

00:00 / 05:00
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Phrase of the scene

sick of

fed up with

Peter snaps that he is fed up with Sydney's made-up rules about what to share.

I'm sick of waiting for a reply.

Also in this scene

  • put up

    mount, display

  • let's not forget

    remember this too

  • wind up

    end up

  • curious as to

    wanting to know

  • don't give a shit

    not care at all

Everything marked in this scene

28 notes across 80 lines

Phrase · B1put something up

mount, display

Staring at the billboards, Peter repeats that Sydney put them up.

All right, he put up some billboards. Put up some billboards.
Slang · B1Fucking

a strong swear — A heavy swear for rage; never in polite speech.

Fuck me over. Fucking fucking fuck!
Phrase · A2borrow money for something

take a loan for

That's what you borrowed $8,000 for?
Phrase · B1put something on something

place my face onto

You put my face on a 1 0-foot dick over Santa Monica Boulevard.
Slang · B2dick

a crude word — Vulgar slang; keep it out of formal talk.

You put my face on a 1 0-foot dick over Santa Monica Boulevard.
Phrase · B1manage to do something

succeed in doing

Well, in one day you managed to screw my career, you ruined my relationship. . .
Soundmanaged to

Managed to blurs, with to nearly swallowed.

Well, in one day you managed to screw my career, you ruined my relationship. . .
Grammar · B1I assumed you understood

object clause: Assumed takes a that-clause, so the line means I thought you already knew.

You can't have that talk with her. I just. . . Look, I assumed you understood that.
Phrase · B1be sick of something

fed up with

Peter snaps that he is fed up with Sydney's made-up rules about what to share.

God, I am so sick of your ridiculous rules.
Phrase · A2hang out with someone

spend time together

You know, I think you're threatened by what Zooey and I have because you're afraid I won't be able to hang out every night.
Soundwon't be able to

Won't be able to runs together with the t sounds dropped.

You know, I think you're threatened by what Zooey and I have because you're afraid I won't be able to hang out every night.
Phrase · B1move on with one's life

get on with life

Yeah, who are all moving on with their lives.
Slang · A2Whatever

whatever you say — A dismissive way to end an argument; rude to elders.

-I think we were using each other. -Whatever.
Phrase · B1spend time apart

be separated for a while

I think we should spend some time apart.
Phrase · B2wind up doing something

end up

Peter tells Sydney that if the wedding happens at all, he should stay away.

So if I actually do wind up having a wedding, it's probably best that you not be there.
Grammar · B2if I actually do

emphatic do: The emphatic do stresses that the wedding may really happen.

So if I actually do wind up having a wedding, it's probably best that you not be there.
Phrase · B1take something down

remove from display

And if you could have those billboards taken down. . .
Phrase · A2as soon as possible

at the earliest chance

And I'll also make sure you get your money back as soon as possible.
Phrase · B2be curious as to something

wanting to know

Returning the DVDs, Peter says Zooey is dying to know what was inside the hatch.

It's just Zooey hasn't seen them all yet, and she's really curious as to what was going on inside that hatch.
Phrase · A2sorry to bother you

excuse the interruption

-Hey, Denise. Sorry to bother you. -It's. . . I'll go get Zooey.
Slang · B1Nice face

a teasing compliment — A teasing remark for people you know well.

Nice face.
Slang · B2I don't give a shit

I don't care at all — A blunt vulgar phrase; avoid at work or with elders.

-Yeah, my friend Sydney, he. . . -I don't give a shit.
Phrase · B2get one's name out there

gain public notice

Well, it got your name out there.
Phrase · A2pretty + adjective

quite cute

Besides, you look pretty cute with a thick mustache.
Phrase · A2be sorry that ...

regret that

Zooey, look, I'm so sorry that I asked you why you thought we should get married.
Grammar · B2which is why

relative clause: Which is why refers back to the whole clause and introduces the consequence.

I couldn't believe actually how sure you seemed about the whole thing, which is why
Phrase · B1out of all the ...

among all of them

Truth is, I've been a girlfriend guy, but out of all those girls, you're the only one that wanted me to have my own life.
Soundout of all

Link out of all into one smooth sound.

Truth is, I've been a girlfriend guy, but out of all those girls, you're the only one that wanted me to have my own life.

Peter Confronts Sydney Over Billboards, explained

What's really going on

The billboards are a joke that reveals a real mismatch: Sydney acts on impulse and calls it helping, while Peter needs steadiness and privacy. "I think you're threatened by what Zooey and I have," Peter tells him, and it is the closest either gets to naming the problem. They fall into a fight about whose fault it is — "you were the one using me" — instead of admitting they both got something they needed. The farewell is polite and sad: they hand back DVDs and a dog's goodbye, and Peter says Sydney should skip the wedding. Only afterward, with Zooey, does Peter say the honest thing.

Theme

FriendshipPeter and Sydney's friendship breaks when helping turns into overstepping, and they agree to spend time apart.
TrustSydney sharing a private conversation and spending Peter's money show how friendship can cross the same lines as a relationship.

What you'll learn

  • A kind gesture can backfire into betrayal.
  • The billboards matter less than the hidden money.
  • Peter's apology finally names what he loves about her.
  • Naming a friend's fear is riskier than arguing.

Listen for

  • managed to — Managed to blurs, with to nearly swallowed.
  • won't be able to — Won't be able to runs together with the t sounds dropped.
  • out of all — Link out of all into one smooth sound.
Well, in one day you managed to screw my career, you ruined my relationship. . .

Peter's accusation that Sydney's billboards wrecked both his professional reputation and his engagement in a single day.

You know, I think you're threatened by what Zooey and I have because you're afraid I won't be able to hang out every night.

Peter's theory that Sydney resents Zooey because Peter now spends evenings with her instead of with him.

Zooey walked out on me because I asked her why we were getting married.

Peter explaining the fallout from repeating Sydney's question to Zooey, which pushed her to leave.

Truth is, I've been a girlfriend guy, but out of all those girls, you're the only one that wanted me to have my own life.

Peter's honest reason for choosing Zooey: unlike past girlfriends, she encouraged him to have his own friends and life.

Questions about this scene

Why is Peter so angry about the billboards?

Sydney used Peter's borrowed money to put Peter's face on crude billboards; Peter says it wrecked his career and his relationship in a single day.

Why do Peter and Sydney stop being friends?

Peter is tired of Sydney's rules and of him sharing a private talk with Zooey, and he also feels used; they agree to spend time apart.

Why does Peter go to Denise and Barry's house?

That is where Zooey went to stay after she left; Peter comes to apologize and explain what made him question the wedding.

What changed Peter's mind about marrying Zooey?

He realizes the truth: Zooey is the only girlfriend who wanted him to have his own life and friends, which is why he is sure about her.

What does Peter ask Sydney to take down?

He asks Sydney to take down the billboards and to return the borrowed money as soon as possible.

I Love You, Man · 19 chapters

All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 19broke the moldPeter and Sydney Make Up
Chapter 1put a down payment onPeter Proposes to ZooeyChapter 2take the leapPeter Misses the Joshua Tree TripChapter 3strike up a conversationPeter Tries to Make FriendsChapter 4get the hang of itPeter's Awkward Man-DatesChapter 5let one ripPeter Meets Sydney at an Open HouseChapter 6in a jiffPeter Calls Sydney for a Man-DateChapter 7Hands downPeter and Sydney's First Man-DateChapter 8wet my beakTevin Tries to Wet His BeakChapter 9man cavePeter Tours Sydney's Man CaveChapter 10squeeze inPeter Bonds with Sydney Over MusicChapter 11rock your worldPeter Introduces Zooey to RushChapter 12smoking hotPeter Introduces Sydney to His FamilyChapter 13between you and mePeter and Zooey Fight About PrivacyChapter 14bail onSydney Tempts Peter to Skip HBOChapter 15weirded outZooey Confronts Peter About SydneyChapter 16hit it offPeter Asks Sydney to Be Best ManChapter 17good faithZooey Leaves Peter Before the WeddingWatching · Chapter 18sick ofPeter Confronts Sydney Over BillboardsChapter 19broke the moldPeter and Sydney Make Up
Chapter 18 of 19 · about 5 min to go