The I Love the Smiths Quote
Four short lines in an elevator, and one of the most quoted moments in (500) Days of Summer. Here is exactly what gets said, who says it, and why it means more than it sounds.
The full dialogue
Summer: “I love the Smiths.”
Tom takes off his headphones. “Sorry?”
Summer: “I said I love the Smiths. You have good taste in music.”
Tom: “You like the Smiths?”
Summer then sings a line of the song, says she loves it, and steps out when the doors open. Tom is left alone in the elevator, stunned. The scene is on Day 4 of the 500 days.
Who says it
- Summer (Zooey Deschanel) says “I love the Smiths” — twice, because Tom doesn't hear her the first time.
- Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is the one in headphones. His only real line is “You like the Smiths?”
- The song is “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” by The Smiths (1986), playing through Tom's headphones.
The meaning of “I said I love the Smiths”
On the surface it is small talk about a band. In the film it is the moment Tom decides Summer is the one: a stranger likes the same song he does, so she must understand him. The film spends the next 496 days showing why that is not enough.
That is also why the quote works as a meme. “I said I love the Smiths” is what you say when someone shares your taste, and “You like the Smiths?” is the face you make when they do.
“You like the Smiths?” — the reply
Tom's line is the half people forget, but it carries the scene. It is not really a question. It is disbelief that someone like Summer would like his music. In edits and memes, the person in the listener role is the one who delivers it, usually with a long stare.
Put your own faces on the quote
The I Love the Smiths AI turns two photos into the elevator scene: one photo for Tom's role in headphones, one for the person who says the line. $9.99 per video, about 15 seconds.
FAQ
Q1What movie is the I love the Smiths quote from?+
(500) Days of Summer (2009), directed by Marc Webb. The scene breakdown is on our 500 Days of Summer elevator scene page.
Q2Does Summer say “I said I love the Smiths”?+
Yes. She says “I love the Smiths,” Tom says “Sorry?”, and she repeats it: “I said I love the Smiths.”
Q3Is it “You like the Smiths?” or “You love the Smiths?”+
“You like the Smiths?” It is Tom's reply, after Summer tells him he has good taste in music.
Q4Is the quote in the AI video?+
The video recreates the elevator moment with your two photos and comes with the scene's sound built in. You can't change the words or the song.