There’s a lot that made The Sopranos a great show during its run. The late, great James Gandolfini was the show’s star. The overall idea of having a mob boss go see a therapist is such an alluring subplot of the show. The depth of the characters in the writing is also a big draw. One of the most standout characters was Christopher Moltisanti, someone whom Tony Soprano referred to as his nephew (in reality, he was related in a more convoluted way). A role played perfectly by Michael Imperioli. Christopher had a lot of famous quotes on the show. He was a brash, tough guy with a sensitive side.
Christopher had a string of episodes where fans either loved him or hated him. He was Tony’s protégé who wanted to have a lot of power in the crew but never wanted to overstep any boundaries. Despite being a stone-cold killer, he was also a bit of an artist, as he pursued a passion for screenwriting, as most know. Thus, he was one of many who knew how to deliver emotion in dialogue, either on the page or in person. So here are the best quotes from Christopher Moltisanti.
10 “In my thought, I use a technique of positive visualization. How come I always feel undermined?”
Christopher is never really a hothead on the show. But when he gets impatient with things, it can get him to overact and get into his head a little bit. Christopher has always kind of been what has felt like a sidekick to Tony, but in Christopher’s mind, he’s no sidekick. In the second episode of the entire show, Christopher drops this line out of frustration. When he sorts out a lot of major issues for Tony, he begins to feel that he has earned the right to be a made guy in the crew. Tony, of course, finds humor in Christopher’s frustration.
9 “Why be in a crew? Why be a gangster?”
Christopher again gets real philosophical here in another early episode of the show. He’s supposed to go out with his buddy Brendan to hijack a truck. However, he decides to opt out of the gig based on advice from his uncle Tony. Apparently, the job would only make things worse between Tony and Uncle Junior, which is something Christopher wants no part in doing. He’s alone, maybe a little high, and sounds like a frustrated employee at a job where management is clashing with one another.
8 “Wait here, I’ll get your Viagra.”
The first few quotes on this list are definitely deep-rooted in the fiber of Christopher’s being in thought process. However, from time to time, he can crack a joke at the expense of one of his colleagues being a little too confident in themselves. As Tony, Silvio, and Christopher are sitting outside of one of the crew’s fronts, they all take notice of a beautiful woman across the street. Silvio lets it be known to the others that if she gave him a chance to court her, so to speak, he would know what he was doing. Without missing a beat, Christopher says, “Wait here; I’ll get your Viagra.”
7 “I f*cking deserve it. Ain’t got no spleen, Gene.”
Christopher’s hard work at attempting to become a made man in the crew begins to pay off eventually. In an episode where he is put in charge of two wannabe gangsters, his abilities as a leader are about to be tested. Christopher then gets an attempted double cross against him by the two new employees of the crew, who try to have him killed for their own personal gain. Christopher handles the issue like a pro, and then Tony lets him know he’s going to be made. His response to the news is this quote.
6 “I don’t care if they shove a scud missile up your ass, this is my corner.”
Despite being in a relationship with someone who eventually becomes an informant for the FBI, Christopher knows how to handle gangster life quite well. He knows how to act when business is being discussed, and he knows how to act when it’s wartime. Sometimes he knows how to blend the two. In an altercation with someone who owes him money, but Junior Soprano came and collected and stole it, Christopher decided to drop this line on someone while they were on the ground, and he was kicking them around. Christopher may not have technically been the boss, but he knew how to act like one sometimes.
5 “Fear knocked on the door. Faith answered. There was no one there.”
Christopher battled a lot of demons throughout the show. He was an addict who had stints in rehab and NA, and plenty of relapses on the show. His character oftentimes felt like it paralleled Tony and all his demons. However, through all his issues, Christopher always had this unexpected positive reinforcement he would instill in his thoughts. He always knew he would overcome his demons and create a better life for himself. He used quotes like this one that he heard in NA meetings a lot. They may not have been sayings he thought of, but they sure helped him through dark times.
4 “Why don’t you just f*ck yourself, save a little money.”
One of the best character dynamics in the whole show was between Paulie and Christopher. The two went out on jobs together all the time. They whacked many guys who had it coming throughout the show. The famous Pine Barrens episode was completely devoted to them being lost in the woods in the dead of winter. The two were yin and yang. When Paulie was up, Christopher was feeling down, and vice versa. So one time, when Paulie was in pursuit of finding a lady for the night, Christopher responded with this quote.
3 “Louis Brasi sleeps with the fishes”
Dramas about mob life always have gimmicks to them that feel like they’re nodding to past classics like The Godfather or Goodfellas. The Sopranos stay away from things like that for the most part. However, sometimes there are nods to mob life that have been portrayed on screen. In a scene that has Christopher talking to Salvatore Big Pussy Bonpensiero about a hit Christopher did that did not get the proper go-ahead, Christopher lets the insults trickle down his back as he says “Louis Brasi sleeps with the fishes”.
He is attempting to quote a famous line from The Godfather: “Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes”. Salvatore corrects this. It’s funny that Christopher wants to be a screenwriter, but it seems his movie knowledge can be a little off at times.
2 “You ever feel like nothing good was ever going to happen to you?”
Another great aspect of The Sopranos was the deep existentialism woven throughout the writing. In a scene where Paulie comes and sees Christopher, who has seemed to have gone into hiding a bit. There are beer cans everywhere, pizza, and Chinese food lying around his apartment, which is a few days old. He’s having writer’s block, and also seems to have some sort of mental block about life. He says this line to Paulie out of desperation, as he feels like nothing is going right in his aspirations or even in the life of a gangster.
There is a lot of melancholy in this scene, and Paulie only adds to it with his response of saying, “Yeah, and nothing did, so what? I’m alive; I’m surviving.” The gut punch of the scene is where Christopher compares himself to a character in a screenplay and how he’s a character with no story arc.
1 “What I’m saying is…”
The quote “What I’m saying…” is only part of a big monologue that Christopher has as he gives a eulogy at Tony’s mother’s funeral. At this point in the show, Christopher’s drug addiction has become a serious problem. He looked strung out in the scene and slouched on the couch with Adrianna by his side. After the funeral, he decides to speak up during a gathering of family. In his head, what he thinks he’s saying is most likely very profound. However, it makes no sense whatsoever.
It’s a roller coaster of a scene. It’s uncomfortable to watch as he clearly embarrasses himself. The reaction shots of the people in the room having no clue what this man is saying are hilarious. But it’s also sad to watch Christopher clearly need help.
