The quote
The “I love the Smiths” quote
The scene is short enough to quote from memory, which is why it spread. Here is the exchange as it is usually transcribed.
The exchange
Summer: “The Smiths.” Tom pretends not to hear her. Summer: “I love the Smiths.” Tom, taking off his headphones: “Sorry?” Summer: “I said I love the Smiths. You have good taste in music.”
The lyric
Summer sings: “To die by your side, such a heavenly way to die.” Then the elevator doors open and she exits. Tom, alone, says: “Holy shit.”
Common misquotes
People sometimes mix this scene up with the record store scene, where Summer says she loves Ringo Starr. The elevator line is about The Smiths; the Ringo line is a different joke.
The meme version
The quote is now a format: replace “the Smiths” with your own obsession. The two-photo video keeps the original line and casts you and another person into the scene.
Put yourself in the scene
Two photos, 18 seconds, about 30 minutes. Failed runs are refunded.
Put yourself in the sceneFAQ
What are the exact words?
“I said I love the Smiths. You have good taste in music.” Summer says it after Tom pretends not to hear the first time.
Who says the line?
Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel.
Is it “I love the Smiths” or “I love The Smiths”?
Both spellings appear in captions. The band’s name is styled “The Smiths.”
Keep reading
- The I Love The Smiths elevator sceneA line-by-line breakdown of the I Love The Smiths elevator scene: the setup, the dialogue, the song, and why it became a video trend.
- What does “I love the Smiths” mean?The meaning behind “I love the Smiths”: the film line, why it became a TikTok joke, and what people mean when they use it as a couple trend.
- The 500 Days of Summer elevator sceneThe 500 Days of Summer elevator scene: what happens on Day 4, the exact dialogue, the Smiths song, and where the scene sits in the film.