10. 'Carnage' (2011) - directed by Roman Polanski
Starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly, “Carnage” is directed by Roman Polanski and written by Yasmina Reza, adapted from her own acclaimed play 'God of Carnage' from 2006. Set almost entirely in a single location, this film is a great lesson on how to write dialogue for film. Line after line we learn more from each one of those four characters as tension begins to accumulate in that environment. With great writing from Reza, and amazing performances by the actors, 'Carnage' is a great dramatic comedy that should be watched by any film fan.
9. 'A Pure Formality' (1994) - directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
Starring Gérard Depardieu and Roman Polanski, this great Giuseppe Tornatore film, written in collaboration with Pascal Quignard, is a masterpiece that really does not get the recognition it deserves. Having great performances from Polanski and Depardieu with the strong directing of Tornatore that makes those lines occupy every inch of the police station they’re at, 'A Pure Formality' is a great written film that deserves a place on this list.
8. 'Secret & Lies' (1996) - directed by Mike Leigh
Mike Leigh’s Palme d’Or winner 'Secret & Lies' is probably the best film in his career. Following the story of Hortense, a successful woman who was adopted as a child and now is in search of her birth mother, 'Secret & Lies' is one of the greatest dramas from the 90s. With great performances by Jean-Baptiste, Brenda Blethyn and Timothy Spall, 'Secret & Lies' is a mandatory and beautifully written film from one of England’s best writers/directors.
7. 'Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' (1966) - directed by Mike Nichols
Starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as Martha and George, a middle-aged couple dependent on each other, 'Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?', the first feature film in Mike Nichols’s career, is one of the best debuts in cinema history. Winning five Oscars at the 39th Academy Awards, including Best Actress and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Elizabeth Taylor and Sandy Dennis, respectively, this movie, based on the play written by Edward Albee, is truly a masterpiece with amazing dialogue that should definitely be watched by any cinephile.
6. 'Annie Hall' (1977) - directed by Woody Allen
It’s a dialogue list, so of course it’s going to have a Woody Allen film on it. “Annie Hall”, the Oscar winner and probably the most acclaimed movie in Allen’s career, is certainly among the best comedies in cinema history. Many times acclaimed as Allen’s masterpiece and with a great performance from Diane Keaton, “Annie Hall” is a must-see comedy from the 70s that influenced countless films that came after it, making it a mandatory movie for anyone who loves cinema.
5. 'The Decline of the American Empire' (1986) - directed by Denys Arcand
One of the greatest canadian films from the 80s, 'The Decline of the American Empire' is written and directed by Denys Arcand, best known from the Oscar-winning sequel of this film, 'The Barbarian Invasions' (2003). This film has great existential dialogue about adulthood and about the expectations we have in life. With reflections about love, life, lust and sex, and many great philosophical moments, 'The Decline of the American Empire' is great for studying how dialogue can carry out a picture basically by itself.
4. 'The Breakfast Club' (1985) - directed by John Hughes
The best film in John Hughes career, 'The Breakfast Club' is a classic from the 80s starring Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall and Judd Nelson as five teenagers who meet at Saturday detention at school. Being without a doubt an 80’s classic, 'The Breakfast Club' is a pop culture icon with humanistic themes and amazing dialogue and characters that can be understood by anyone who has experienced teenagehood.
3. 'My Dinner with Andre' (1981) - directed by Louis Malle
Two guys and one dinner table. Starring Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory, 'My Dinner with Andre' follows a dinner between these two acquaintances on one night in Manhattan. With great performances from Gregory and Shawn that hold together this film based on their discussions, 'My Dinner with Andre' is an amazing movie to understand how many things in film can work just by being told in a conversation.
2. 'Locke' (2013) - directed by Steven Knight
Starring Tom Hardy as Ivan Locke, a construction manager, 'Locke' is a movie that explores the most of its lead character. From that message on we got a movie that takes place entirely inside the car with Locke speaking on the phone to many people, including work, family, and a mysterious woman. With one of the best performances in Hardy’s career and amazingly written and directed by Steven Knight, 'Locke' is the proof that you don’t need a gigantic budget to make an amazing film, but with the right setting and a well-written story, you can make a brilliant film with just a man in his car talking on the phone.
1. 'Before Sunrise' (1995), 'Before Sunset' (2004), 'Before Midnight' (2013) - directed by Richard Linklater
This critically acclaimed trilogy that follows 20 years in the lives of Jesse and Céline, is definitely among the movies with the most amazing dialogue in history. From their meeting in Vienna to the many arguments they have in Greece almost 20 years later, this film shows many of the most complex nuances that is being in a relationship. Beautifully performed by Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, with the many moving moments in their relationship that the audience is able to follow since the first night, Céline and Jesse deserve their names among the greatest couples in fiction.