Certain movies intrigue us by deviating from the epic confrontations between heroes and villains. The rare plot of ordinary dialogue between a protagonist and an antagonist in film can be very captivating – revealing ingenuity. Here are twelve films where the hero and villain engage in normal conversations.
1. Heat (1995)
The diner scene’s journey is fascinating in Heat. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro begin by poking and probing one another in a game of cat and mouse. When they finally pull away the facade and look each other in the eye, they see they have much in common regarding where they are in life. Then, it appears they are genuinely attempting to avoid a conflict.
2. Goon (2011)
When Doug (Seann William Scott) runs into Rhea (Liev Schreiber) at a diner, Rhea scorns Doug’s claims of being a hockey player and insists that they are both “goons.” Rhea respects Doug and recognizes his strength, but he also forewarns him against ever crossing paths on ice.
3. X-Men
The dialogue held between Professor Xavier and Magneto strikes a perfect balance between rage and serenity. Comparisons have been drawn between their completely different beliefs on the freedom and equal rights of the mutant race and many socio-political philosophies and issues.
4. The Princess Bride (1987)
Although both have shown acts of kindness to each other and can exhibit corresponding personalities, Inigo (Mandy Patinkin) and Westley (Cary Elwes) defined themselves uniquely in a normal exchange before their sword fight – a duel to the death, with Inigo seeking revenge.
5. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Dan and Wade challenge each other more on a psychological level in this Western action drama that speaks to the untold respect for each other. While not friends, they discuss religion and retribution with Wade in admiration of Dan’s idealism.
6. The Godfather II
Hyman Roth played mind games in trying to earn Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) trust. Corleone saw through it but gave nothing away during the conversation. It was a game of chess with words, and Corleone got his checkmate.
7. Collateral (2004)
Both hero (Jamie Foxx as Max) and villain (Tom Cruise as Vincent) spent much of the movie in dialogue where Vincent appears to give lessons in toughness without ever being violent to Max. But the first practice Max had at these lessons cost Vincent his life.
8. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
The diner scene showed eight gangsters eating breakfast. The dinner scene’s highlight was the conversation on the significance of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.” Mr. Blonde’s song interpretation sparks a lively and darkly humorous debate among the characters, revealing their personalities. However, Mr. Orange, played by Tim Roth, is the undercover cop among the group of criminals.
9. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Toomes’ (Michael Keaton) talk with Peter (Tom Holland) and Liz (Laura Harrier) starts to expose too much while they are being driven to the school dance. When Toomes sees that Spider-Man is seated in the backseat, he does a fantastic job of transitioning from the everyday dad to the ominous monster.
10. American Gangster (2007)
Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe both give outstanding performances in this film, which explores the complicated bond between a charismatic criminal and a relentless detective. One of their conversation between Roberts (Russell Crowe) and Frank (Denzel Washington) had a delicate balance of morality that led to Roberts defending Frank, whom he had always sought to put behind bars.
11. Goldfinger (1964)
Sean Connery as James Bond stars opposite Gert Fröbe (Goldfinger) in this historic episode of 007. Their conversation in Kentucky had all cards laid on the table regarding their plans against each other.
12. The Hateful Eight (2015)
Another mind game conversation takes place throughout this movie as a bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) seeks to understand what happened to the owners during the blizzard he sought refuge in. He got more than expected.
(Source: Reddit)
Amaka Chukwuma is a freelance content writer with a BA in linguistics. As a result of her insatiable curiosity, she writes in various B2C and B2B niches. Her favorite subject matter, however, is in the financial, health, and technological niches. She has contributed to publications like Buttonwood Tree and FinanceBuzz in the past and currently writes for Wealth of Geeks.
