I don't know why that line came to me today until I started thinking more about the movie itself. You have to see the movie to understand both of the characters in that scene but I'll give you a thumbnail idea.
Alex's character, Mick, is a hardscrabble guy from Staten Island. Melanie Griffith, Tess, is also from Staten Island and is working as an assistant in New York. She is a bit ruff around the edges too but is trying to refine herself and better her station in life.
The relationship that Mick and Tess have is one of love and familiarity but Mick is a philanderer and Tess is a bit insecure and questions her worthiness.
Tess works as an assistant to an M&A (mergers and acquisition) business development manager named Katharine, played by Sigourney Weaver. Katharine is everything Tess wants to be. Beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated, and comes from a wealthy and respected family.
The movie is full of twists and turns but ultimately Tess gets herself into trouble by taking big risks and pretending that she is Katharine. By the end of the movie, everything Tess has accomplished is being taken away by Katharine, including her newfound love and business partner Jack, played by Harrison Ford.
Tess is ultimately fired and excepts her fate as a failure and a fraud. She has no idea what she has truly built for herself and others. She can only persecute herself for her mistakes. She is judging herself harder than anyone else in her life and is now paying the price of her limiting beliefs.
The turning part of the movie comes as she is at her friend's wedding and sees Mick with one of the women he cheated on her with. The women proudly announce that she and Mick are getting married. Tess is visibly hurt but congratulates them. She feels that she has nothing left. No job, home, and no relationships. She truly has only herself now and nothing else. Interestingly though you can now see she has peacefulness now within her. She is not responsible for anyone now, just herself.
Tess is back in N.Y. and has cleaned out her desk, she is leaving the building when she is confronted by Katharine, Jack, and a client she helped Jack create for a large M&A deal. Katharine starts in on Tess and asks her in front of everyone if she was stealing anything in her box of things. Tess has a moment of humiliation and then does something she has never done before. She looks Katharine in the eye and states that no one, especially Katharine can talk to her like that. That she was the one who thought of and created this new deal that Katharine is taking credit for. Tess goes on to say that she is the one who is innocent and that Katharine has been deceitful with not only her but everyone in that hallway.
Tess is no longer the victim. She is aware of who she is and what she is responsible for. This sets off a chain of events where she is recognized for her worth. Jack is now on her side and supports her. She is soon offered a job by the very business owner who she sold on the M&A and he respected her risk-taking. She is on her way up.
So, what was so important about Maybe? Maybe does mean dick. You are either in or you are out. I know I learned something about myself through Tess. I needed to take a step back and see what I have created. The good and the bad. Take ownership of what I have done. Accountability is key for me and my growth.
Remember, no one can see who you truly are until you do.