“I like it when you get an uncontrollable urge.”
Why it's great
It turns missing someone into a bodily reflex, flirty without ever getting sappy.
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Informal
Use it yourself
I like it when you get all excited about a new recipe.
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Isaac Tells Tracy to Go to London, Explained
Manhattan · 1979
Chapter 12 of 23 · 2'05"
Tracy has been offered a chance to study acting in London. Isaac tells her to take it, promising she will be the toast of the town, but when she asks what happens to the two of them, he deflects with a joke about Paris and then turns the whole thing into a discussion of her age.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 0:30–1:10
You'll Be the Toast of the Town
39s - 1:10–1:42
You'll Be at the Height of Your Powers
32s
Isaac Tells Tracy to Go to London, explained
What happens
Over pizza, Tracy tells Isaac that she has received a letter offering her a place to study acting in London. He insists she should go, says the city and the school are wonderful, and promises she will be a great success. Then she asks him what will happen to their relationship, and he avoids answering by joking about Paris and talking about their ages instead.
What's really going on
The pizza scene is where Isaac's encouragement and his fear get tangled together. He is genuinely generous about her offer, telling her, "You'll be the toast of the town," and he means it. But the moment she asks the real question, he reaches for a movie line, "Well, you know, we'll always have Paris," which is funny and also an escape. From there he does what he always does, and turns the conversation into arithmetic about age: she will be 36 when he is 63. The numbers are meant to end the discussion, not resolve it. What makes the scene sad is that both of them know she should go and that going will probably end things, and neither of them says it plainly.
Key lines & what they mean
- “I like it when you get an uncontrollable urge.”
- Tracy's teasing line about Isaac showing up without planning to, framed as a compliment to his impulsiveness.
- “You'll be the toast of the town. You'll have a good time, really.”
- Isaac's way of pushing her toward London: he paints the trip as her success rather than their separation.
- “Well, you know, we'll always have Paris.”
- A borrowed movie line used to dodge the question of what happens to them, tender on the surface and evasive underneath.
- “You know, it's absurd. You'll be at the height of your sexual powers.”
- His attempt to end the argument with arithmetic, pointing out how the age difference will look decades later.
Theme
- Romance — Isaac wants Tracy to have her chance but cannot face what her leaving means for the two of them.
- Coming of age — The age gap is used as a wall: he treats her youth as a reason not to take the relationship seriously.
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level2/6
A1–C2 is the CEFR scale. Cards above the level you pick fade, and playback will not auto-pause on them.
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“You'll be the toast of the town. You'll have a good time, really.”
Why it's great
The glittering promise first, then a plain really that makes the push feel sincere.
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Informal
Use it yourself
Go and be the toast of the town in Berlin.
“Well, you know, we'll always have Paris.”
Why it's great
A borrowed movie line dodges a hard question while keeping the tenderness intact.
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literary
Use it yourself
We'll always have that terrible road trip.
“You know, it's absurd. You'll be at the height of your sexual powers.”
Why it's great
Doing the arithmetic on age turns a parting into a joke that isn't quite funny.
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Informal
Use it yourself
It's absurd — when you're at your peak, I'll be retiring.
Up next · 13a no-win situationThe scene: Mary Ends It With YaleTakeaways
What you walk away with- Isaac pushes her away and holds on at the same time.
- The age gap surfaces only when she asks about the future.
- A borrowed movie line can close a conversation kindly.
- Pizza toppings keep a heavy talk light.
People also search
Questions, then the linesWhy is Tracy offered a trip to London?
She receives a letter inviting her to study acting there. It is a real opportunity for someone her age, which is exactly why Isaac insists she should not turn it down.
Why does Isaac say "we'll always have Paris"?
He is quoting Casablanca to dodge her question about their future. It sounds romantic, but it is a way of saying the relationship may not survive her leaving, without saying it directly.
Why does Isaac keep bringing up Tracy's age?
It is his way of keeping the relationship at a distance. By pointing out that he is much older, he can avoid promising her anything and treat the age gap as the reason.
What does "the toast of the town" mean?
It means the person everyone is celebrating. Isaac uses it to tell Tracy she will be a success in London, which is both generous and a way of sending her away.
Do Tracy and Isaac stay together?
The scene does not settle it, but the question of the future hangs over everything. She asks what happens to them, and he answers with a joke, which suggests he does not have an answer.