Memorable quotes for
Primal Fear (1996)

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Marty: Yeah, I'm Martin Vail, from the public defender's office. I'm handling the Aaron Stampler case.
Cop: Hmm, The Butcher Boy.
Marty: Yes, thank you, I forgot his real name.

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Marty: Why gamble with money when you can gamble with people's lives? That was a joke. All right, I'll tell you. I believe in the notion that people are innocent until proven guilty. I believe in that notion because I choose to believe in the basic goodness of people. I choose to believe that not all crimes are committed by bad people. And I try to understand that some very, very good people do some very bad things.

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Janet: Do you know what I would do if someone did that to me? I would kill him, I wouldn't hesitate. I would stab him 78 times. I would chop off his fingers, slash his throat open, carve numbers in his chest, gouge out his eyes, I swear to God!... But that's me.

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Marty: I don't have to believe you. I don't care if you are innocent. I'm your mother, your father, your priest.

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[first lines]
Marty: On my first day of law school, my professor says two things. First was; "From this day forward, when your mother tells you she loves you - get a second opinion."
Jack Connerman: [chuckles] And?
Marty: "If you want justice, go to a whorehouse. If you wanna get fucked, go to court."

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[Marty is trying to woo Janet again, kissing the back of her neck and humming as she smokes a cigarette at the bar in the party for the Archbishop]
Marty: Come on... all you have to do is turn around.
Janet: I thought you liked it better like this. That way you don't have to look at the person.
Marty: You're mean.
[ingratiatingly]
Marty: Look at me.
[She turns to face him. He is grinning seductively]
Marty: Come on. Let's go find a bar you can still smoke in.
Janet: Thanks for the invite, but I don't like one-night stands all that much.
Marty: We saw each other for months.
Janet: It was a one-night stand, Marty. It just lasted six months.

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Marty: Mr. Pinero has never been convicted of anything. Cops jumped him, he was left bleeding in the snow. It's a miracle he survived. Having said that, I am not opposed to a settlement.
John Shaughnessy: A million-five and Pinero leaves the state.
Marty: You can't limit a citizen's right to live wherever he wants to. Legally, that's unenforceable.
John Shaughnessy: Whether or not it's enforceable or just a gentleman's agreement, Mr. Pinero will know what we want.

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Marty: I speak. You do not speak. Your job is to just sit there and look innocent.

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Marty: I chose to believe in the basic goodness of people. Some basically good people do some very bad things.

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Joey Pinero: How are they going to kill a man who never sleeps?

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Roy: I got you. You the lawyer. Well, you sure fucked this one up, didn't you, counselor! Looks to me lahk they're gonna shoot ol' Aaron so full o' poison it's gonna come out his eyes!

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Marty: You want justice, go to a whorehouse. You wanna get fucked, go to court.

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Judge Miriam Shoat: You are making a mockery of my courtroom and I'm not going to allow it. I suggest you start representing your client and stop representing yourself.

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Tommy: That... is... a... bullshit story!
Marty: No, that's *our* bullshit story.

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[arguing before the judge]
Janet: Next thing you know, he'll be objecting to introducing the murder weapon into evidence!
Marty: Well, now that you bring it up...

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Roy: If you lay that tough-man shit on Aaron again, I will kick your fuckin' ass to Sunday!

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Janet: No further questions your honor.
Roy: Where the hell do you think you're going?
Janet: Excuse me?
Roy: Hey you look at me when I'm talkin' to you, bitch!
Judge Miriam Shoat: Mr. Stampler!
Roy: Fuck you, lady! Come here!
[Roy jumps over the witness stand and grabs Janet and punches Marty Vail]
Judge Miriam Shoat: Bailiff!
Roy: You wanna play rough, let's play rough. Come on, lets play rough!
[Bailiff and secruity slowly walk toward Roy]
Roy: Yeah, keep comin' closer asshole, don't think I won't break her fuckin' neck!
Marty: Roy, come on. I got...
Roy: Fuck you, Marty! I'm walkin' outta slowly. Really slow.

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Naomi Chance: But that means you have to change the plea to insanity, which you can't do mid-trial, unless of course you're planning on a career change.

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Roy: [talking about Aaron] Hell, he couldn't kick his own ass.

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Marty: First thing that I ask a new client is "Have you been saving up for a rainy day? Guess what? It's raining."

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