Law Abiding Citizen

Law Abiding Citizen is a 2009 American thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray, starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler. The film tells the story of a man, Clyde Shelton, who takes the law into his own hands in order to exact vengeance for his family's killers and the Criminal Justice system that failed him. The System Must Pay. (taglines)

Clyde Shelton

 * How carefully should I tread? Because apparently, I just killed two people! And you are about to let me walk right out that door! How misguided are you!? I feed you a couple of bullshit legal precedents, and there you go - you jump on it like a bitch in heat!
 * [After being granted bail for murder]
 * Well that's what wrenches are for, dumbass!
 * [Upon being informed that his cot is bolted to the floor]
 * I'm gonna pull the whole thing down. I'm gonna bring the whole fuckin' diseased, corrupt temple down on your head. It's gonna be biblical.

Nick Rice

 * [To Shelton] As a prosecutor, I'm breaking all the rules right now, and I don't give a damn. Because I'm a father, I have a little girl. And what you did - bravo. The world is better without Darby and Ames. You're not going to see a tear shed from me, or anybody in my office. [pats him on the hand, and heads to his side of the desk] With that being said, I have a job to do.

Dialogue

 * [Clyde has just been granted bail]
 * Rice: Your honour, I would caution you not to do that!
 * [Clyde laughs and claps]
 * Clyde: Thank you!
 * Judge: Excuse me?
 * Clyde: No, I don't think I will excuse you. [to everyone] You see, this is what I'm talkin' about. You are about to let me go - are you kidding me? This is why we're here in the first place. [everyone looks at him in surprise] You think I don't remember who you are, lady?
 * Judge: I would tread carefully, Mr. Shelton.
 * Clyde: Well how carefully should I tread!? Because apparently, I just killed two people! And you are about to let me walk right out that door! How misguided are you!? I feed you a couple of bullshit legal precedents, and there you go - you jump on it like a bitch in heat! [The judge indignantly bangs her gavel repeatedly] Folks, you all hang out in the same little club!
 * Judge: I'm warning you! Mr. Shelton! You will be held in contempt of this court!
 * Clyde: [continuing] And every day you let madmen and murderers back on the street! You're too busy treating the law like it's a fucking assembly line!
 * Judge: One more time! One more time!
 * Clyde: Do you have any idea what justice is!? Whatever happened to right and wrong!?
 * Judge: You are now in contempt of court! Remove this man from my court.
 * Clyde: Christ! Whatever happened to right and wrong!? Whatever happened to the people!? Whatever happened to justice!?
 * Judge: Bail denied! Bail denied.
 * Clyde: [being led away] And I bet you take it up the fuckin' ass! Bitch! See you later, Nick.
 * Judge: Bailiff...




 * Clyde Shelton: [noting the look on his cellmate's face as he eats his steak] So I suppose if I don't share this with you, you're gonna -
 * Cellmate: [finishing his sentence] I'm gonna get the fuck up, and cock back my right hand, then I'm gonna split your whole fuckin' skull in two. How 'bout that?


 * [Shelton is giving Rice his confession]
 * Nick Rice: That was you on video killing Clarence Darby, wasn't it?
 * Clyde Shelton: Yes, that was me.
 * [Nick sighs in exasperation]
 * Clyde: Okay, fair enough, that was me, Clyde Shelton on the video, killing Clarence Darby.
 * Nick: Not good enough, Clyde, I need specifics.
 * Clyde: I took his fingers with bolt cutters, his toes with tin snips, his balls with a hacksaw, and his penis with a box cutter. How's that for specifics?(!)

Taglines

 * The System Must Pay
 * Justice At Any Cost
 * How do you stop a killer who is already behind bars?
 * They killed his family. Now justice is his vengeance. (UK Quad)

Cast

 * Jamie Foxx - Nick Rice
 * Gerard Butler - Clyde Alexander Shelton
 * Colm Meaney - Detective Dunnigan
 * Bruce McGill - Jonas Cantrell
 * Leslie Bibb - Sarah Lowell
 * Michael Irby - Detective Garza
 * Gregory Itzin - Warden Inger
 * Regina Hall - Kelly Rice
 * Emerald-Angel Young - Denise Rice
 * Christian Stolte - Clarence James Darby
 * Annie Corley - Judge Laura Burch
 * Richard Portnow - Bill Reynolds
 * Viola Davis - Mayor April Henry
 * Michael Kelly - Bray
 * Josh Stewart - Rupert Ames
 * Roger Bart - Brian Bringham