# 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.

## 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

## External links

* Official website
* Law Abiding Citizen quotes at the Internet Movie Database
* Reviews at Rotten Tomatoes