Dennis Reynolds might be the most vain and possibly detestable member of the gang, but he’s also arguably the most successful (outside of Frank). His life is somewhat more pulled together than Dee, Mac, and Charlie, though he does have a bit of an anger issue and regularly squashes his friend’s ideas. Everyone has their faults, though, and Dennis makes up for his with a ridiculously inflated sense of self-confidence and bravado. The guy is all about building himself up and seizing opportunity — he did create the D.E.N.N.I.S. System, after all.
Should you need some inspiration for steering your ship on the path to success, here are some completely misguided Dennis Reynolds lines for a quick injection of “can do” attitude.
“I’m a five star man! I’m a five star man!”
If you’re going to lead a five-star life, then you’ve got to truly believe you’re a five-star person, even if that means throwing a tantrum and screaming at others in complete desperation. When the gang tries out the online dating thing, Dennis becomes obsessed with achieving the highest rating possible to the point that he drives away any would-be dates. Sure, he comes off as completely desperate and psychotic, but the point is that he knows he’s five-star material and makes sure everyone in Paddy’s knows it, as well.
“My nose was chiseled by the gods themselves, Frank. My body was sculpted to the proportions of Michelangelo’s ‘David.’ You, on the other hand, well, you’re a pit of despair.”
What Dennis lacks in compassion, empathy, and overall decency, he makes up for with disproportional amounts of self-confidence. If you’re going to land that dream gig or, in Dennis’ case, a modeling spot on a billboard, you’ve got to believe that you deserve it over the competition. Did Dennis have to go so far as to compare Frank to a bottomless hole of sadness? Well, no, but hey, Dennis is all about maintaining a high level of confidence in order to achieve his dreams and Frank was clearly an obstacle he didn’t have time for.
“What do you think about this?”
If you’re really looking to take charge of your life or team, asking for feedback is important. For example, when the gang weasels their way onto the posh Taft estate and Dennis sets his sights on Ruby Taft (Alexandra Daddario), he presents his body “sculpted to the proportions of Michelangelo’s ‘David’ for her approval. Nevermind her reaction, the point is that to truly achieve one’s full potential, seeking feedback is crucial. Maybe opt for a different method than Dennis’ approach, though. It tends to weird people out.
“Technically, I generate most of the power.”
It’s all about letting people know you’re a power player, a real big shot who can lead a gang through one terrible scenario after another. In typical Dennis fashion, he puts down his friends while setting himself up on a delusional pedestal of self-worth. While throwing out this line can make you seem like a bit of a prick, it never hurts to remind yourself of your contributions and what you bring to the table.
“Duct tape, zip ties, and gloves. I have my tools!”
While Dennis’ tools are the must-haves of any serial killer’s shopping list (which really makes a lot of sense considering his disturbing psyche), they’re part of a formula for success. One really can’t be expected to take charge and accomplish anything, whether it be kidnapping or something legal, without the right tools. The purpose of the tools, like Dennis says, “isn’t important;” it’s about realizing that you’re a golden god and taking action.
“I’m gonna peak so hard that everybody in Philadelphia’s gonna feel it.”
Sometimes you just need to remind yourself and others that you can do it. Dennis is constantly surrounded by haters — even though he’s also 100% a hater himself — but he doesn’t let the gang’s doubts get him down. Nope, he’s all about letting Dee and the rest of Philadelphia know that he hasn’t even begun to peak, and when he does, they’ll know because his peakness will be all over them.
“Sickness be gone!”
How is one ever expected to accomplish anything without rock solid willpower that’s borderline psychotic? When a flu virus sweeps through Philadelphia, taking each member of the gang victim, they’re forced to quarantine themselves. Is Dennis about to let a little thing like the flu keep him from taking the top spot at a singing competition? Of course not. He summons the virus to leave his body by screaming “Sickness be gone!” in the mirror. While this approach isn’t recommended for dealing with illness (a trip to the doctor for some meds would have been a wiser choice), kudos to Dennis for believing, albeit foolishly, that anything is possible.
“Crack.”
Now, of course we’re not advising that you take up crack, but it is important that you recognize the proper fuel needed to take charge and get things done. Maybe it’s a solid nine hours of sleep, a well-balanced breakfast, or a grande dark roast cup of coffee. Whatever works for you. For Dennis, it just happens to be crack cocaine.
