Se7en (1995) · 54 quotes
3rd most-quoted character in Se7en (1995): in 16 of its 54 quotes
Most scenes with: David Mills (6), William Somerset (3)
On the subway today, a man came up to me to start a conversation. He made small talk, a lonely man talking about the weather and other things. I tried to be pleasant and accommodating, but my head hurt from his banality. I almost didn't notice it had happened, but I suddenly threw up all over him. He was not pleased, and I couldn't stop laughing.
John Doe What sick ridiculous puppets we are / and what gross little stage we dance on / What fun we have dancing and **** / Not a care in the world / Not knowing that we are nothing / We are not what was intended.
John Doe Detective ... detective ... detective! You're looking for me.
John Doe Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.
John Doe It seems that envy is my sin.
John Doe Become vengeance, David. Become wrath.
John Doe I've gone ... and done it again.
John Doe I got your picture, man! I got your picture!
David Mills (picks up the phone): Hello?
John Doe I admire you. I don't know how you found me, but imagine my surprise. I respect you law enforcement agents more every day.
Well, I appreciate that, John. I tell you ...
John Doe No, no, you listen, all right? I'll be re-adjusting my schedule in light of today's little ... setback. I just had to call and express my admiration. Sorry I had to hurt ... one of you, but I really didn't have a choice, did I?
Hm.
John Doe You will accept my apology, won't you? I feel like saying more, but I don't want to ruin the surprise. [Hangs up]
John Doe It's more comfortable for you to label me as insane.
It's very comfortable.
Wait, I thought all you did was kill innocent people.
John Doe Innocent? Is that supposed to be funny? An obese man, a disgusting man who could barely stand up, a man who if you saw him on the street, you'd point him out to your friends so that they could join you in mocking him, a man, who if you saw him while you were eating, you wouldn't be able to finish your meal. After him, I picked the lawyer, and I know you both must have been secretly thanking me for that one. This is a man who dedicated his life to making money by lying with every breath that he could muster to keeping murderers and rapists on the streets!
Murderers?
John Doe A woman ...
Murderers, John, like yourself?
John Doe A woman, so ugly on the inside she couldn't bear to go on living if she couldn't be beautiful on the outside. A drug dealer, a drug-dealing pederast, actually! And let's not forget the disease-spreading whore! Only in a world this shitty could you even try to say these were innocent people and keep a straight face. But that's the point: we see a deadly sin on every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it. We tolerate it because it's common, it's trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not anymore. I'm setting the example. What I've done is going to be puzzled over and studied and followed ... forever.
John Doe Realize, detective, the only reason that I'm here right now is that I wanted to be.
No, no, we would have got you eventually.
John Doe Oh, really? So, what were you doing? Biding your time? Toying with me? Allowing five innocent people to die until you felt like springing your trap? Tell me, what was the indisputable evidence you were going to use on me right before I walked up to you and put my hands in the air?
I seem to remember us knocking on your door.
John Doe Oh, that's right. And I seem to remember breaking your face.
Dead dog.
John Doe I didn't do that.
John Doe She begged for her life.
Shut up ...
John Doe She begged for her life and ...
Shut up!
John Doe She begged for her life and the life of the baby inside her.
Shut up! [Punches him]
John Doe Oh ... [smiles] he didn't know.
John Doe Don't ask me to pity those people. I don't mourn them any more than I do the thousands that died at Sodom and Gomorrah.
Is that to say, John, that what you were doing was God's good work?
John Doe The Lord works in mysterious ways.
