A Study on Script Dialogue with 9 Downloadable Screenplays for Examples
If someone asked me, ‘What’s the hardest part of being a screenwriter?’ I’d have plenty of challenges to list. But honestly, I’d probably land on this: writing strong dialogue. Capturing distinctive voices, weaving your words as storytelling tools, and ensuring that sentiments carry weight - these are tall orders that even the greatest among us struggle with from time to time.
If this very inquisitive person were to follow up by asking ‘how do you get better at dialogue?’, I would tell them to read. Read, read, read. Read everything - novels, screenplays, interviews - anything in which people are conversing. Study their approach, their mannerisms, how direct or indirect they are. How you can ascertain information by reading into what they don’t say.Writing great dialogue is both an art and a science, and the first step to mastering it is becoming a keen observer of people.
There are a great deal of exemplary writers out there who find dialogue to be the most natural thing in the world, so today we’re going to study nine examples of screenplays that make their dialogue shine. These scripts are available for download, ready for you to pore over and dissect to your heart’s content. As writers, we’re blessed; unlike some professions, we can access the work of the masters with just a click. And really, who better to learn from than the all-time-greats? Rather than throw the usual suspects at you - The Godfather, Citizen Kane, Pulp Fiction - I’ve carefully handpicked a list of films you’ve probably seen, but an eclectic assortment nonetheless.
It’s worth remembering that dialogue doesn’t have to be just one thing. Maybe you gravitate toward gritty, realistic exchanges and want to study a Michael Mann script. Or perhaps you’re drawn to flowery, poetic language and crave a Shakespeare adaptation. Good dialogue takes many forms, which is why I’ve curated a mix of natural, precocious, and larger-than-life examples - so you can find the style that resonates most with you. Once you’ve figured out what style you want to emulate, the world is your oyster. There are more screenplays out there than you could read in this lifetime, so who knows - this might just be the rabbit hole you dive into.
A CLASSIC
Double Indemnity - Billy Wilder was the king of dialogue in Hollywood throughout a distinguished career, bringing us classics like Sunset Boulevard, Some Like It Hot, and this classic pick - 1944’s Double Indemnity. There’s plenty to set Wilder apart from his contemporaries - hard-boiled characters with razor-sharp wit, rhythmic dialogue, and an uncanny ability to find humour in the morose. Along with co-writer Raymond Chandler, Wilder produces one of the finest pieces of noir screenwriting ever put to paper, an exercise in economic storytelling. (Note: I’ve transcribed this scene with modern screenwriting software, as the original doesn’t align with today’s formatting standards.)
This is the screenplay for you if you want to write: suspense, period pieces, flirtation, voiceover, wit, mystery, grit, double entendre.
Also check out: Twelve Angry Men, Chinatown, North by Northwest
A COMEDY
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - Edgar Wright and Michael Bacall create a hyper-stylized, comic book-inspired world in this 2010 comedy. It’s bombastic, exaggerated, and an entertainment overload. Check out how fast it moves, with punchy dialogue aiding action - quips and retorts come so fast they practically become fight sequences. Then nervous teenage umms and ahhs slow it right down. Characters express themselves through the most unconventional means, and it’s full to the gills with pop-culture savvy.
This is the screenplay for you if you want to write: deadpan, self-aware, meta, referential, sparring, offensive, FUN.
Also check out: Smokey and the Bandit, Superbad, Mallrats
A DRAMA
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - A perfect showcase of Martin McDonagh’s mastery of screenwriting, honed through a celebrated career as a playwright. The screenplay for this 2017 film is one of the most efficient I’ve ever read. Drawing from his stage experience, McDonagh ensures every line of dialogue demands the audience’s full attention - every sentence serves a purpose, and every word lays the groundwork for what’s to come. True to his style, he balances drama with humor and surrealism, making the moments of unadulterated melodrama hit even harder when the levity falls away. Note how McDonagh utilises italics and underscoring for emphasis, making sure we feel the weight of the dialogue.
This is the screenplay for you if you want to write: fast-paced, captivating, direct, emotional, evocative, farce, theatrical.
Also check out: A Real Pain, Lost in Translation, Good Will Hunting
A ROMANCE
Before Sunrise - Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan’s 1995 screenplay is nothing short of a love letter to conversation. This meticulously crafted, naturalistic script stands out as one of the finest I’ve ever read - so much so that over the past thirty years, many still assume it was largely improvised. The two leads spend a night just talking, putting the world to rights, discussing their pasts, their futures, their philosophies and their failures. There’s no conflict, just blossoming dialogue. It remains one of the greatest dialogue screenplays ever put to celluloid, and can serve to teach a thousand lessons on how to develop character in a vacuum.
This is the screenplay for you if you want to write: chemistry, young adults, non-native English speakers, meet cutes, yearning, introspection.
Also check out: When Harry Met Sally, Notting Hill, Punch-Drunk Love
A HORROR
Jaws - Peter Benchley’s 1975 screenplay arguably set the stage for the modern blockbuster. What makes Jaws so remarkable is its ability to transcend genre - it can be classified as horror, thriller, adventure, and even drama. Benchley masterfully builds suspense through both dialogue and moments of silence, gradually heightening the tension until you can almost taste the saltwater. While it might be easy to read this screenplay and think, ‘I’ve seen this before,’ you haven’t - Jaws is just the blueprint for anything suspenseful that succeeded it. Notice how the Long Island drawl is intricately woven into the dialogue for authenticity, grounding the characters in a specific time and place, making them a product of their environment.
This is the screenplay for you if you want to write: scares, suspense, accents, conflict, tension, fear, technicality.
Also check out: The Babadook, Alien, The Evil Dead
A MYSTERY
Brick - Rian Johnson’s directorial debut features a stellar script that deserves attention for its uniqueness. Brick is a neo-noir mystery thriller, deeply rooted in the hardboiled detective genre (think The Maltese Falcon), but set in a contemporary high school. It’s sharp, streamlined, and driven by its wise-cracking protagonist and clever subversions of traditional mystery archetypes. Johnson intentionally avoids writing dialogue that feels like a high schooler might speak - it’s not about the setting, but rather the genre. This is an elevated reality, drawing on the language expected from classic mysteries. The central mystery - a missing woman - becomes the driving force behind all dialogue, making every scene purposeful and focused on solving a single, overarching objective. This one-track mindset keeps characters highly engaging.
This is the screenplay for you if you want to write: mystery, detectives, noir, high school, plot heavy, parody, geniuses.
Also check out: Vertigo, Gone Girl, The Sixth Sense
A SATIRE
The Lobster - I’d love to include Dr. Strangelove, but the screenplay PDF has been photocopied and scanned so many times that I wouldn’t wish that migraine on my worst enemy. Instead, let’s take a look at Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou’s 2013 screenplay, The Lobster - a satirical exploration of contemporary marriage and the dehumanizing effects of societal expectations. The dialogue is classic Lanthimos: matter-of-fact, with bizarre character descriptions replacing conventional names - Lisping Man, Biscuit Woman - and other oddities that blur the line between reality and absurdity. Satire toes a fine line between humor, parody, and offense. The dialogue must feel grounded in reality but dialed up as high as possible without crossing into absurdity. Take this passage for example: picture the most heartless person you know. Could they realistically say this? Perhaps. That's a real skill.
This is the screenplay for you if you want to write: monotone, deadpan, dissociation, clinical, non sequiturs, obedience, commentary.
Also check out: The Death of Stalin, Four Lions, Poor Things
AN ADAPTATION
Sense and Sensibility - It’s crucial to recognize that film isn’t directly comparable to any other medium, meaning dialogue from a brilliant novel or stage play doesn’t always translate seamlessly to the silver screen. Adaptation is a process of transformation, not just reformatting. Crafting a screenplay adaptation requires trimming the excess of a novel to make room for visual storytelling. Take Emma Thompson’s 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility as a prime example. Thompson masterfully retains the novel’s language and speech patterns while blending them with more contemporary phrasing and grammar, making the dialogue feel both timeless and accessible to modern audiences. Balancing fidelity to the source material with the demands of cinematic storytelling is a challenging, yet immensely rewarding endeavor.
This is the screenplay for you if you want to write: period pieces, romance, class divide, social commentary, adaptation, opposing forces, classical English.
Also check out: Atonement, Sideways, V for Vendetta
WILDCARD
Boyhood - Here’s a second Richard Linklater entry (can you tell I’m a fan?), this time highlighting Boyhood as my wildcard pick. Spanning twelve years of a single life, the film chronicles Mason’s journey from age six to eighteen. What makes this screenplay fascinating is how Mason’s voice stays consistent, even as his delivery evolves with age and changing circumstances. Linklater’s writing is rich with ‘uncinematic’ moments - scenes that feel understated yet deeply human - offering characters opportunities to express themselves in ways that are authentic and profound. It’s a masterclass in portraying character growth, unfolding over a much longer timeframe than most screenplays typically allow.
This is the screenplay for you if you want to write: children, realism, growth, parents, chemistry, awkwardness, teenagers, young adults.
Also check out: Swiss Army Man, Nightcrawler, Face/Off
CONCLUSION
That’s quite a bit of homework! Happy reading - we hope this incredible lineup of screenplays offers valuable lessons and inspires you to sharpen your own dialogue skills. Once you feel confident that your work could one day join this list, don’t forget to check out our screenwriting competitions, where Kinolime funds and produces the winning screenplay!