Top 5 Movies with Best Writing

For the first movies style post, I'm going to start with the Top 5* movies with the smartest writing. Criteria is based heavily on dialogue, as well as order of scenes and ability to connect/set up/foreshadow/play off various scenes. Points also go to allusion and symbolism.

1) Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

Bruce Willis, Josh Hartnett, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Stanley Tucci

Directed by Paul McGuigan, whose only notable movies are Wicker Park, also starring Josh Hartnett, and The Reckoning, starring Paul Bettany (of A Knight's Tale, Wimbledon fame) and Willem Dafoe. Haven't heard anything about Wicker Park, but it looked reasonably entertaining, and I was really psyched about The Reckoning coming out, but it had a very limited release and have yet to see it.

Lucky Number Slevin is a ridiculously well written movie, with a really fast pace and the dialogue between the characters is A++. The chemistry between the characters has a lot to do with it, but I've seen enough disappointing Josh Hartnett/Lucy Liu/Bruce Willis movies to know that it takes more than just working well together. The writing is so sharp that the actors can even get away with crazy obscure lines.

Lindsey: What are you going to tell him?
Slevin: I'm gonna say the same thing any man with two penises says when his tailor asks him if he dresses to the right or left.
Lindsey: What?
[cuts to Boss's penthouse]
Slevin: Yes.

2) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Moynaghan

Written by Shane Black, same writer as any of the Lethal Weapon movies, Long Kiss Goodnight, and Last Boy Scout. This also marks his directorial debut. Not a huge release, but well received by pretty much everyone.

Like Lucky Number Slevin before it, it's a film noir. Something about this type of genre brings out the best writing. Admittedly, they have to work harder than in romantic comedies. The dialogue in this movie also feeds off the chemistry of the main characters, but it's ability to set up scenes is what really sets this one apart. The narration by Robert Downey Jr. is fantastic, particularly in the scenes where he explicitly says, "this is why this scene is in the movie."

Harry: And that's how she got to the same party as me. Oh shit. I skipped something. Damn it. This whole robot bit. I made a big deal, then I like totally forgot. Fuck, this is bad narrating. Like my dad telling a joke. "Oh, wait back up. I forgot to tell you the cowboy rode a blue horse." Fuck. Anyway, I don't know if you want to see it now, but here's the fucking robot stuff for your viewing pleasure. Can I say "fuck" more?

3) Usual Suspects (1995)

Kevin Spacey, Kevin Pollak, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro

Directed by Bryan Singer, whose epitaph will probably read, "Here lies Bryan Singer, who should've quit making super hero movies after leaving the X-men trilogy to do Superman." Yeah, that sounds about right.

Older than the first two, but extremely well done. The dialogue doesn't have the same fast pace as the first two, but honestly, I don't know how you could leave this movie out of this conversation. The writing is fantastic, and the end is a huge surprise to anyone who hasn't seen it. Like jaw dropping surprise. It touches on so many elements of the story, it almost warrants an immediate re-watching of the movie.

Fenster: They treat me like a criminal. I'll end up a criminal.
Hockney: You are a criminal.
Fenster: Why you gotta go and do that? I'm trying to make a point.

4) Confidence (2003)

Edward Burns, Dustin Hoffman, Rachel Weisz, Andy Garcia, Paul Giamatti

Directed by James Foley. I've never heard much about the guy. Apparently he directed Perfect Stranger with Halle Berry and Bruce Willis, except that was an awful movie and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Very stylized. Confidence is easily one of my Top 10 movies, and could even break the Top 5, depending on my mood. The chemistry of the actors is outstanding for the most part, the scenes flow really smoothly into one another, and the allusions to things are top notch, particularly the references to luck and superstition. The reason this isn't rated higher is that some of the lines by the secondary characters (Lupus, for example) are pretty weak, though it could be the fault of the actor and not the writer.

Jake: Now you're an accomplice to murder. Everything you thought you had control of has gone out the window or is currently dripping down your leg.

5) Thank You For Smoking (2005)

Aaron Eckhart, Katie Holmes, J. K. Simmons, William H. Macy

Written and directed by Jason Reitman, who is currently enjoying all kinds of success from Juno, starring Ellen Page and Michael Cera. Haven't seen it yet, but I've heard nothing but good things. One of these days maybe.

Back to sharp dialogue. This movie has it in tonnes. The movie follows an extremely smooth spokesperson for the tobacco companies, so it makes sense for it to be one long really convincing argument. Not that it will convince you to smoke or anything. Satirical humor at it's best. He spins cigarettes in a favorable light but problems arise when he begins to wonder what kind of example he's setting for his son... he has an epiphany sort of moment... what more can I say? The plot flows quickly and easily. Go see it, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Joey: ...but you didn't prove that vanilla was the best...
Nick: I didn't have to. I proved that you're wrong, and if you're wrong I'm right.
Joey: But you still didn't convince me
Nick: It's that I'm not after you. I'm after them. ***Points into the crowd***

** Honorable Mentions **

Fight Club (1999) - Another movie that needs to be part of this conversation. I wouldn't put it higher than any of these, but the writing is excellent. Chuck Palahniuk outdid himself with the book, and David Fincher did an outstanding job bringing it to the screen.

Layer Cake (2004) - The third in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels/Snatch series, or at least I thought it was... apparently, he was slated to direct, but had to drop out because of prior engagements. It ended up being directed by Matthew Vaughn, who actually did a really great job, considering it was his first. Very fast paced, good chemistry, great storyline. Doesn't belong in the top 5.