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John Michael McDonagh Biography

John Michael McDonagh

John Michael McDonagh is a screenwriter and film director with British and Irish nationality. He wrote and directed The Guard (2011) and Calvary (2014), both films starring Brendan Gleeson, receiving a BAFTA Award nomination for the former. He was born in London in 1967. He is the older brother of playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh.

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John Michael McDonagh Quotes

The thing with America is that. . . however you want to denigrate them for being crass or whatever, with a film that they like and think is well written, well-made and is popular, they actually want to work with those people and want to follow that, whereas I've had nothing coming in from the UK. . . nothing at all. Whether that sums up the state of the industry now, I don't know. But it's strange.

America, Nothing, People, Strange, Thing, Thinking

Sometimes I might go too far with the pretentious references, which I might not do again. But when you're writing, you're sitting alone in a room so you're writing to amuse yourself as much as anybody else.

Alone, Pretentious, References, Sometimes, Writing

Eventually, in the editing movie you have to look at it as if you hadn't written it. So, you have to be a bit more brutal.

Brutal, Editing, Eventually, Look, Written

I can't compete with the Michael Bays of the world in regard to special effects and that kind of stuff. But you can compete in the dialogue and the one liners and the original characterisations and I think that's what people are responding to.

People, Special, Think, Thinking, World

I had a bad experience on Ned Kelly, which I'd written the screenplay for. I thought: "Well Jesus, if these are the type of people directing movies I might as well direct one myself!"

Jesus, People, Direct, Type, Directing

I presume that each country will have a different response to each joke. But mostly what I've seen is that everyone has the same response. The line about: "He hasn't had this much fun since they burned all those kids at Waco. . . " I thought that might get a real. . . . it does in America, it gets a shock, as if they fall back in their seats, but then they still laugh.

Burned, Country, Fun, Gets, Kids, Real

I think that if you're a good enough actor you hope that eventually the material will find you.

Enough, Eventually, Good Enough, Hope, Material, Thinking

Basically, you can't make a pop culture reference now without someone saying it's Tarantino-esque or post-Tarantino and I'm like where's that all come from? It's ridiculous. But it's not his fault.

Come, Culture, Pop Culture, Reference, Ridiculous, Saying

When you've written a script, if an actor has a question you're the writer as well as the director, so you have the answer. And if you don't, then you just be honest and say 'I don't know' and then you discuss it. So, working with the actors is fine.

Being Honest, Fine, Honest, Know, Say, Written

I like Quentin Tarantino, especially the early films, but I'm a big fan of Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges. . . you know, people were writing great dialogue back then. It's as if people only have the memory of the last 15 years. So, before Tarantino no one was writing witty dialogue? That's ridiculous. Why do we have to keep referring to Tarantino?

Keep, Know, Like, Memories, Witty, Writing