We get it! Screenwriting is hard, especially when it feels like every line has been done before. Trying to compete with timeless quotes like “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” or “Here’s looking at you, kid” is intimidating, especially when writer’s block hits. So, screenwriters tend to take shortcuts, leaning on clichés—which, by the way, is French for “mold.” And that’s how we end up hearing the same bland lines over and over for cheap thrills. Here are 30 of the most overused movie lines that desperately need to be retired.
1. ‘I Could Tell You, But I’d Have To Kill You.’
Ever since the “Top Gun” screenwriters decided to make Tom Cruise even cornier as Maverick — because that love scene wasn’t awkward enough — this line has been anything but classified. It’s been recycled by a ridiculous number of movies, turning into a lame excuse for a half-baked joke.
2. ‘If You Touch One Hair On His/Her Head…’
For the love of everything holy, would you please drop this melodramatic, tired line and try something else? The earliest known appearance of this quote is likely in the 1965’s ”The Great Race”and since then, it’s shown up in every other movie and the occasional TV show as an empty threat to show someone’s in trouble and someone else is scared but protective.
3.‘We Can Do This The Easy Way, Or The Hard Way.”
Speaking of empty threats, this ultimatum, often thrown out by tough cops, mobsters, or mean school principals, gives them that take-no-prisoners touch. But, the truth is, the only time this line actually sounded good and meant something was when it was uttered in 1964’s “Goldfinger”by the film’s iconic Bond girl. Since then, every mention has been a blatant attempt to sound edgy, but it comes off as try-hard and stale.
4.‘I Was Born Ready.’
This line gets tossed out by every action hero, cocky rookie, or overconfident protagonist who needs to let the world know they’re beyond prepared for whatever comes their way. It sounded very cool in “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977). But then some trizillion movies and TV shows later, and it’s a predictable chest-thumping declaration that tells you the character is about to walk into a situation they aren’t as ready for as they think.
5. ‘Don’t You Die On Me!’
Oh boy, talk about a line that’s been run into the ground (pun intended). When a movie needs that overly melodramatic push, this line gets thrown in, followed by some over-the-top music. It’s been used in “Pulp Fiction,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Bridget Jones,” every action movie you can think of, and so on. We think it’s just about time for this line to finally die on us.
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6.‘(S)he’s Behind Me, Isn’t (S)he?’
A character says something insulting, only to realize the person they’re talking about is standing right behind them. In all honesty, it is a great trope, and maybe we had a chuckle or two one time when we saw it for the first time. But then, it was used for two decades in dozens of rom-coms and officially wore out its welcome.
7. ‘We’ve Got Company!’
It’s been used in “Star Wars” — twice, no less, proving just how “original” this phrase is — “Bambi,” and nearly every other movie in between. Whether it’s aliens, enemy troops, or an unexpected guest, this line pops up whenever the plot takes a sudden turn.
8. ‘We’re Not So Different, You and I.’
Said by every smug villain trying to bond with the hero — from Dr. Evil in “Austin Powers,” to Voldemort in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” This line shows up like clockwork when bad guys want to prove they share common ground with the protagonist, often as a way to justify their own villainy.
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9. ‘Shut Up and Kiss Me.’
It’s the corny line that’s supposed to provoke the “awww” reaction and make us say “wow, movies are so creative and romantic.” But then, after hearing it in a dozen rom-coms like “Never Been Kissed” and such it gets so annoying you want to scream, “Shut up and just… shut up!”
10. ‘_____ Is My Middle Name.’
To make a character instantly unlikable, have them utter this cheesy line. “Danger” and “Adventure” are the usual suspects, thrown in to make them seem daring or fearless, but instead, they just come off as cringe.
11. ‘Is That All You’ve Got?’
After hearing it in everything from “Rocky” to every action movie ever made, we’re left asking the screenwriters the same question.
12. ‘It’s Not You, It’s Me.’
This is probably the most eye-roll-inducing breakup cliché that we hope never to hear again. The only time this line was actually tolerable was when George Costanza from “Seinfeld” claimed he invented it — because, of course, he did.
13. ‘It’s Not What It Looks Like.’
Here’s a line that’s probably in the starter kit for “How to Write a Raunchy Comedy.” Spoiler: it’s almost always exactly what it looks like. This line pops up when a character gets caught in some ridiculous, compromising situation, and they try to explain it away, only to make things worse.
14. ‘I Have a Bad Feeling About This.’
If it’s not “Star Wars,” this line has no business being in your script. It’s supposed to build suspense, but let’s face it — it peaked in a galaxy far, far away.
15. ‘I’m Too Old for This …’
Truth be told, this is a cool line, but it really should have stayed in the ’80s with “Lethal Weapon.” When Danny Glover said it, it fit perfectly with his grizzled, world-weary cop vibe. But since then, it’s been dragged out by every older character in action flicks trying to recapture that moment.
16. ‘You Just Don’t Get It, Do You?’
Aside from being cheesy, it’s been used in at least 102 movies. So, originality? Not so much. But clearly, you don’t get it, do you?
17. ‘Sit Down and Shut Up.’
The prelude to a lecture, and not a subtle one. When you hear this line, you know what’s coming: a blunt tirade meant to be a verbal slap in the face. It’s supposed to sound authoritative, but after hearing it so many times, it just feels like the character is trying a little too hard to establish dominance.
18. ‘Did I Just Say That Out Loud?’
You did, but we pray no one on earth says this again because enough is enough. We’ve heard this in so many comedies — whenever a character blurts out something they weren’t supposed to, and you, the viewer, are supposed to go whoaaa. Maybe you did the first time, but now? An eye roll will do.
19. ‘It’s Showtime’
The verbal equivalent of a drumroll has a certain ring to it, no doubt. It sounded pretty cool when Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice said it, and maybe even better when Jim Carrey’s The Mask replicated it. But then it became a lazy trick for an exciting prelude, used by everyone from Chucky the Doll to the Terminator.
20. ‘You’ll Never Get Away With This!’
Every hero in a pinch shouted at villains like it would somehow stop their evil plans. It’s basically the standard filler in every action movie, superhero flick, or spy thriller. The villain usually does get away with it for a while, or they laugh it off.
21. ‘This Isn’t Over!’
Ya think? We feel like this lazy line needs to be over, but it just keeps hanging on — like a sequel no one asked for. When it was uttered in “Carrie” (1976), where it actually meant something, and then it was recycled in countless other movies and TV shows, including “The Matrix,” “South Park,” “Family Guy,” and many more.
22. ‘You’re Gonna Want to See This.’
Oh, am I? Because I think I’ve seen 70 million other versions of “this.” This line usually pops up when a character stumbles upon something and it’s often followed by someone dramatically turning a laptop around, revealing grainy security footage, or pulling up a mysterious image on a screen.
23. ‘I Wouldn’t Do That If I Were You.’
This one usually crops up right before a character does something reckless — and continues to do it anyway, even after hearing this worn-out phrase that screenwriters shamelessly still use.
24. ‘Yeah, You Better Run!’
This is the line a character throws out once the threat has already walked away, trying to act tough when it’s safe. You’ve heard it in everything from “Back to the Future” to “Batman Begins,” and it’s about time to find a better line because this one is stale.
25. ‘Don’t Do Anything Stupid.’
The frustrating thing about this overused line is that the person immediately goes and does the exact stupid thing they were warned against.
26. ‘Get Out of There!’
Uttered mere seconds before an explosion, flood, tsunami, or any looming danger, it’s the last-ditch, desperate cry lazy screenwriters love to slap into every other action movie or disaster flick. It’s predictable, overused, and almost always follows the same formula — someone shouts it.
27. ‘Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking?’
If you’re thinking, “This is lazy writing and they really should find another phrase,” then yes, I am. This line is supposed to signal some clever plan or unspoken connection between characters, but at this point, it’s just a tired setup for something painfully predictable.
28. ‘Follow That Car!’
For a full-blown cliché, a character — usually the protagonist — jumps into a cab, yelling, “Follow that car!” It’s an okay trope, but it’s been overused. One of the few times it was done well was in “The Return of the Pink Panther” (1975), where it was brilliantly turned into a parody.
29. ‘It’s Quiet … Too Quiet.’
Anytime a character says this, you know something’s about to explode, jump out, or go horribly wrong. It’s one of the most overused movie phrases, a cheap bait to build tension and set up the action.
30. ‘It’s/She’s Gonna Blow!’
This is basically the blatant version of ‘It’s quiet… too quiet.’ Usually, in action flicks, sci-fi, or adventure movies, the character states what’s evidently about to happen, and of course, it proceeds to blow. So, thank you, Captain Obvious, for pointing out what we all saw coming.
