Good dialogues are the quintessential part of any movie. Dialogues possess the efficacy to heighten the degree of attachment to characters, increasing the overall impact of the film.
A film abounding in good dialogue grips the audience and offers an experience that stays with them even after the show is over. This article will talk about 15 such movies that are heavily dialogue-driven.
- The Social Network
The Social Network bags the top spot in this list of 15 dialogue-driven movies. The film is a biographical drama depicting the events that take place as Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard student, creates the social networking site Facebook. It is based on the 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich.
Directed by David Fincher, the film features Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg among a cast that includes Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The film received immense critical applause owing to its fantastic dialogues and screenplay. It was also a huge commercial success collecting over $224 million in its theatrical run.
- 12 Angry Men
A classic courtroom drama embedded with impactful dialogues is the 1957 movie 12 Angry Men. Directed by Sidney Lumet, the film boasts an incredible rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
It showcases the discussions that unfold between a juror in a murder case and the other members as he tries to persuade them that the case is not as simple as it appears.
The film was adapted from a 1954 teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose.
- Pulp Fiction
A widely popular film, Pulp Fiction is known for its epic one-liners and exchanges between the characters. It is a crime drama that exhibits the lives of two Los Angeles mobsters, a gangster’s wife, a boxer and two small-time criminals intertwining in the Underworld realm.
Directed by famed filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, the film presents an ensemble cast consisting of John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman. The film was released in 1994 and received a lauded response from the audience.
It flaunts a rating of 8.9 on IMDb and 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Waking Life
Waking Life is an animated drama film released in 2001. The film presents a unique concept of a man who moves from one dream to another, meeting various interesting people with whom he engages in philosophical conversations. These occurrences make him find the answers to life’s important questions.
Ethan Hawke lends his voice for the protagonist, Jesse Wallace. Directed by Richard Linklater, the film is rated 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.7 on IMDb.
- Conspiracy
A heavily dialogue-driven war drama, Conspiracy features a stellar ensemble cast of Colin Firth, David Threlfall, Kenneth Branagh, and Stanley Tucci. The movie portrays offers the exchanges that take place among the Nazi officers in the 1942 Wannsee Conference. The dialogues in the film were written using the original transcript recorded during the meeting.
Directed by Frank Pierson, Conspiracy delves deep into the psychology of the Nazis. The film is highly revered and rated at a whopping 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- My Dinner with Andre
My Dinner with Andre is set in a restaurant where two strangers meet over an evening meal and engage in a striking conversation where they question each other on their morality. The film stars André Gregory and Wallace Shawn who play fictionalized versions of themselves.
Released in 1981, the comedy drama is directed by Louis Malle. My Dinner with Andre is a classic dialogue-driven film, loved by many critics. The movie is rated 92% on IMDb.
- The Before Trilogy
Consisting of three films: Before Sunrise, released in 1995, Before Sunset, released in 2005, and Before Midnight, released in 2013, the Before trilogy is undoubtedly one of the best dialogue-driven film series of all time.
Directed by Richard Linklater, the films offer deep conversations between the two leads in all the three movies. It is a romantic series written in a chronological manner.
The films star Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy as the protagonists. All the three films had received several accolades for their charismatic dialogues and engaging screenplay.
- The Godfather
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo, The Godfather is the first installment in the Godfather trilogy. The film deals with a mafia kingpin Don Vito Corleone who decides to hand over his empire to his youngest son, Michael but his decision jeopardizes the lives of his loved ones.
Eulogized actor Al Pacino plays the role of Michael. The crime drama is directed by Francis Ford Coppola and offers numerous fantastic dialogues that create an impact on the watcher.
The movie is greatly acclaimed by everyone. It flaunts an epic rating of 100% on Metacritic, 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 9.2 out of 10 on IMDb.
- Love and Death
Woody Allen is known for featuring good dialogues between characters in his films and the same goes for Love and Death. Directed and screenplay by and starring Woody Allen himself, Love and Death is a war comedy set during the Napoleonic wars in Russia.
Released in 1975, it was widely acclaimed for mock-serious philosophical debates. Rated with a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is an all-time classic.
- Reservoir Dogs
Another Quentin Tarantino movie, Reservoir Dogs traces the story of six criminals hired to steal diamonds and are unbeknownst of one another’s identity. This causes them to believe that one of them is an undercover police officer when the police ambush them.
The film stars Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen, Edward Bunker, and Tarantino himself.
Reservoir Dogs is regarded as a cult classic by many. Released in 1992, it is rated 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Displaying the frightening effects of alcoholism and marital dysfunction at its most cruel, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is an impeccable film. Directed by Mike Nichols, it stars Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, and Sandy Dennis.
The film was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Mike Nichols and succeeded in winning 5 of them. The film was adapted from the play of the same name by Edward Albee and is rated 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8 on IMDb.
- Sleuth
Sleuth is a gripping narrative of Andrew who collaborates with his wife’s ex-lover Milo and plans a robbery so that he can divorce her without having to lose a fortune in alimony. However, their personal differences get in the way before they can execute their plan.
The film stars Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine in the lead and is directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. It was greatly lauded by critics and both the lead actors were nominated for Academy Awards for their brilliance on the screen.
Released in 1972, the mystery thriller is rated 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8 out of 10 on IMDb.
- GlenGarry Glen Ross
Popular for its excellent dialogues and writings, GlenGarry Glen Ross revolves around four desperate Chicago real estate agents who do not hesitate to engage in unethical acts in order to sell real estate to unwitting prospective buyers. It was adapted from the Pulitzer-winning play of the same name by David Mamet.
Directed by James Foley, the film was released in 1992. Starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin and Ed Harris in the lead, it was regarded as the best film of 1992. Rotten Tomatoes recommends GlenGarry Glen Ross with 95%.
- No Country for Old Men
Regarded as a masterpiece, No Country for Old Men is an enthralling crime drama. The movie showcases a war veteran whose life changes when he stumbles upon 2 million dollars in the aftermath of a drug deal and is subsequently chased by a psychopathic murderer. It features Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin in the lead roles and is directed by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Released in 2007, the film had a good box office run of $171.6 million. No Country for Old Men is rated 8.2 out of 10 on IMDb and an admirable 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Metropolitan
Directed by Whit Stillman, Metropolitan depicts a group of young socialites from upper-class families of New York who meet almost every night and discuss social mobility and play bridge. It is a romantic comedy and the first of a trilogy of films from Stillman.
The movie offers engaging dialogues and provides ample laughter to the viewers. It was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 63rd Academy Awards. Released in 1990, Metropolitan is rated 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
