17 Best 'A Bronx Tale' Quotes For Robert De Niro Fans

Anusuya Mukherjee
Dec 12, 2023 By Anusuya Mukherjee
Originally Published on Feb 12, 2021
some of the best A Bronx Tale movie quotes
Age: 0-99
Read time: 5.8 Min

Fans of Robert De Niro won't want to miss the heartfelt message that 'A Bronx Tale' delivers through these 'A Bronx Tale' quotes.

Starring Robert De Niro, alongside Chazz Palminteri, Taral Hicks, Clem Caserta, Francis Capra, and Lillo Brancato, 'A Bronx Tale' is set in the '60s and revolves around a boy from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx. We follow Calogero in his journey as he is taken under the wing of Sonny, the Bronx neighborhood mobster, much to dislike of his father Lorenzo (played by Robert De Niro), a hardworking bus driver.

The crime-drama touches upon important topics of racism in the turbulent atmosphere in the Bronx, and has some of the most memorable movie quotes. Here’s a list of some of the best 'A Bronx Tale' movie quotes.

If you’re someone who enjoys '90s crime dramas, take a look at these [90s movie quotes] and Goodfellas quotes too, full of lots of famous movie quotes. But, if you are looking for a good Mickey Mantle quote from 'A Bronx Tale', read on. Why not share the 'Bronx Tale' quotes from this article with your friends too?
 

Lorenzo Quotes From 'A Bronx Tale'

'A Bronx Tale' was highly acclaimed by critics and audience alike.

Robert De Niro plays a poignant role in the shaping of this coming-of-age story. As Lorenzo, he portrays a dedicated father who is a hardworking man that wants to provide for his family by the honest and humble means of a bus driver. De Niro is a major influence as a mentor and father to Calogero Anello and brings forth issues that were faced by the working class in the '60s. Aside from this, Lorenzo Anello owns his dialogues and screen time and this result sin plenty of quotes that stay true to the timeless nature of Robert De Niro quotes. Fans today remain nostalgic and quote the memorable character, including the famous "the saddest thing in life is wasted talent" quote, decades after the launch of the film. Here are some 'A Bronx Tale quotes', including the much loved waste of talent quote, that gained instant fame.

1. “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.”

- Lorenzo Anello.

2. “It don't take much strength to pull a trigger but try getting up every morning day after day and work for a living, let's see him try that, then we'll see who the real tough guy is, the working man is the tough guy.”

- Lorenzo Anello.

3. "The big head should think twice about what you are doing."

- Lorenzo Anello.

4. “Lorenzo: The other night he tried to throw away his baseball cards because he said Mickey Mantle would never pay our rent.

Sonny: He said that to you? I can't believe that kid.

Lorenzo: That's not funny. Not when your kid has a bigger bank account than you do.”

- 'A Bronx Tale'.

5. “Detective Belsik: There were people who saw him.

Lorenzo: Well, they're wrong. He don't know nothin'.

Detective Belsik: Listen, Mr. Anello, we could do things the nice way or we could do things the hard way. Alright?”

- 'A Bronx Tale'.

6. “Lorenzo: You don't fool with a man's family. This is my son, not yours.

Sonny: What are you gonna do, fight me?

Lorenzo: You stay away from my son!”

- 'A Bronx Tale'.

Sonny Quotes From 'A Bronx Tale'

'A Bronx Tale' has some of the most memorable Robert De Niro movie quotes.

While Robert De Niro as Lorenzo Anello and Robert De Niro quotes were an integral part of the movie, Chazz Palminteri as Sonny often steals the spotlight. The Italian mobster, who inadvertently plays a role as young Calogero’s mentor, has a lot to say when it comes to growing up on the wrong side of the Bronx. Sonny, played by Chazz Palminteri, is the perfect example of a man who has his heart in the right place, despite his bad reputation. His way of life and experiences alongside his right-hand man, Clem Caserta, gives the audience a glimpse into the world of the Bronx from an experienced perspective. As the contributing writer of the script, Chazz Palminteri wrote quite a few of the Bronx quotes for himself. This means that the best quotes from 'A Bronx Tale' are often said by Sonny. Here are some of the 'A Bronx Tale' quotes from Chazz Palminteri that you will love.

7. “You gotta do what your heart tells you to do.”

- Sonny.

8. “Calogero: What did you do?

Sonny: Me, I read.”

- 'A Bronx Tale'.

9. “Mickey Mantle don't care about you, so why should you care about him? Nobody cares.”

- Sonny.

10. “Sometimes hurting somebody ain't the answer. First of all, is he a good friend of yours?”

- Sonny.

11. “We've been mushed!”

- Sonny.

12. “Sonny: You like this girl?

Calogero: I do, but I don't want to hear all the guys. I don't want to hear all their mouths...”

- 'A Bronx Tale'.

Calogero Quotes From 'A Bronx Tale'

In the end, 'A Bronx Tale' is about a young kid trying to find his way in a neighborhood in the Bronx while being caught up in a crossfire, and 'A Bronx Tale' quotes reflect exactly that. The coming of age story is nothing without Calogero Anello, who forms the bones of the story. Played by Lillo Brancato, it’s through Calogero’s story that we meet a myriad of characters, including Lorenzo and Sonny. We see the influence that the neighborhood and these two figures have on Calogero as he grows up and lives up to the quote: “the saddest thing in life is wasted talent”. There’s a lot to learn from the naïve dialogues of a young Calogero, to the wisdom he gains and appreciates by the end of the movie. Here are some of the dialogues that we found best suited to showcase 'A Bronx Tale' quotes from Calogero Anello’s perspective.

13. "Priest: Don't be afraid, my son. No one is more powerful than God.

Calogero: I don't know about that, father."

- 'A Bronx Tale'.

14. “It was great to be Catholic and go to confession. You could start over every week.”

- Calogero Anello.

15. “I was getting two educations: One from the street and one from school. That way I’d be twice as smart as everybody.”

- Calogero Anello.

16. “You just have to accept people for what they are.”

- Calogero Anello.

17. “I learned something from these two men. I learned to give love and get love unconditionally.”

- Calogero Anello.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for the best ‘A Bronx Tale’ quotes for Robert De Niro Fans that really do show that "the saddest thing in life is wasted talent", then why not take a look at these '80s movie quotes, or ['Taxi Driver' quotes] for more great quotes?

We Want Your Photos!
We Want Your Photos!

We Want Your Photos!

Do you have a photo you are happy to share that would improve this article?
Email your photos

More for You

See All

Written by Anusuya Mukherjee

Bachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights

Anusuya Mukherjee picture

Anusuya MukherjeeBachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights

With a wealth of international experience spanning Europe, Africa, North America, and the Middle East, Anusuya brings a unique perspective to her work as a Content Assistant and Content Updating Coordinator. She holds a law degree from India and has practiced law in India and Kuwait. Anusuya is a fan of rap music and enjoys a good cup of coffee in her free time. Currently, she is working on her novel, "Mr. Ivory Merchant".

Read full bio >