The 61 film dialogue clichés you’ll want to use

We’ve talked about script clichés on this blog before, both from radio advertising…

“Carpets carpets carpets, you’ll love them.”

and radio drama…

“The gun in my right hand is loaded”.

Now, I’m indebted to Nathalie Sejean’s superb Mentorless filmmaking blog for raising the subject of clichéd movie dialogue.

You can use her list as catalogue of must-include lines next time you parody a Hollywood blockbuster in a promo script. Hold tight, this thing’s going down:

1. “Try me.”

2. “This is your destiny.”

3. “Donde esta [insert English word] por favor?”

4. “I was born ready.”

5. “Are you sitting down?”

6. “Is that all you got?” “I’m just getting started.”

7. “Cover me. I’m going in.”

8. “No, no, no, no, NO! I’m not going.” [Cut to them going.]

9. “No. Come in. ____ was just leaving.”

10. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

11. [Greeting] “Well, if it isn’t ____.”

12. “I’m just doing my job.”

13. “You’ll never get away with this!” “Watch me.”

14. “Now… where were we?”

15. “How hard can it be?”

16. “You go girl!”

17. “What part of _____ don’t you understand?”

18. “Don’t even go there.”

19. “Is this some kind of sick joke?”

20. “Oh haha, very funny.”

21. “Did I just say that out loud?”

22. “It’s just a scratch.”

23. “How is he?” “He’ll live.”

24. “…and there’s nothing you or anyone else can do to stop me!”

25. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

26. “Note to self…”

27. “What seems to be the problem, Officer?”

28. “What’s the worst that could happen? / What have we got to lose?”

29. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

30. “Don’t you think I know that!”

31. “Whatever you do, don’t look down.”

32. “We’ve got company.”

33. “Oh that’s not good.”

34. “Awkward!”

35. “What just happened?”

36. “We’ll never make it in time!”

37. “Stay here. – No way, I’m coming with you.”

38. “Okay, here’s what we do… [and cut to a different scene]”

39. “Try to get some sleep.”

40. “Hi, Sis.”

41. “Wait! I can explain! This isn’t what it looks like.”

42. “That’s it! You’re off the case!”

43. “In English, please.”

44. “What are you doing here? – I was about to ask you the same thing.”

45. “This just gets better and better.”

46. “Shut up and kiss me.”

47. “Not on my watch!”

48. “You just don’t get it, do you?”

49. “It’s called ____, you should try it sometime.”

50. “That went well!”

51. “It’s quiet… too quiet…” *cue attack*

52. After criticising someone: “…They’re standing right behind me, aren’t they.”

53. “What is this place?”

54. “Is this seat taken?”

55. “Your father was a good man…”

56. “If my calculations are correct…”

57. “Not so fast!”

58. “I’d like that” (usually after getting asked on a date)

59. Character is surprised by a wild animal: “Hey buddy, you are a good boy, good boy”.

60. “You still don’t know, do you?”

61. “Let’s do this thing”.

And with thanks to Stuart Provan at UKRD, the classic..

62. “Let’s get out of here!”.

We have a special movie-related prize for the best promo sent to steve@earshotcreative.com containing lines from this list.

Read Nathalie’s original piece, together with additional crowdsourced ideas in the comments.