Alex Law: And if you see I'm dying up there you'll call the police and tell them everything, right?

Juliet Miller: Everything.

Alex Law: Except that maybe it was his idea in the first place. Now that's important to me. I need to die misunderstood.
Nation MacKinley: This is Janet. She's a phenomenon.
Alex Law: When was the last time you heard these exact words: "You are the sunshine of my life"?
Alex Law: [to the Goth girl] When you get up in the morning, how do you decide what shade of black to wear?
David Stephens: I've never seen a dead body before. I saw my grandmother of course, but I don't think that counts. I mean, she was alive at the time.
Alex Law: Family? Family? Friends? Drugged-up wandering suicidal search of the self fuck-ups don't have families.
Master of Ceremonies: Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please. First of all may I thank you all for coming along tonight and supporting our appeal to raise funds for the sick children's unit.

Alex Law: You didn't tell me that this was for children. I hate children. I'd raise money to have the little fuckers put down. I want me money back!
David Stephens: Well, Brian McKinley, if you want to talk to my girlfriend you talk to me first. If you want to dance with her, then you apply in writing three weeks in advance or you're going to end up inside a fucking bin-bag. You didn't apply so you don't dance.

Juliet Miller: Do you think you could try to be a little more forceful next time?
Alex Law: So tell me, Cameron, just tell me because I'd like to know, what on earth could make you think that we would want to share a flat like this with someone like you? I mean, my first impression, and they're rarely wrong, is that you have none of the qualities that we normally seek in a prospective flatmate. I'm talking here about things like presence, charisma, style and charm, and I don't think we're asking too much, I don't think we're being unreasonable. Take David here, for instance: a chartered accountant he may be, but at least he tries hard. The point is I don't think you're trying.
Alex Law: Cameron, what a surprise!
Alex Law: They went up there alive and came back down dead! Did you notice that? The difference, I mean: alive, dead, dead, alive, that sort of thing? It wasn't difficult to spot. He killed them both.
[Juliet, Alex and David are about to dispose of Hugo's body by rendering it unidentifiable]

Juliet Miller: I can't do it.

Alex Law: But Juliet, you're a doctor. You kill people every day.
David Stephens: Victory is the same as defeat. It's giving in to destructive competitive urges.
Alex Law: God, you two are sensitive! All I'm doing is implying some kind of ugly sordid sexual liaison. I'd be proud of that sort of thing.
David Stephens: Normally I don't usually meet people, unless I already know them.
Alex Law: It's not every day I find a story in my own flat.

Juliet Miller: It's not a story, Alex. It's a corpse.
Lumsden: Chartered accounting. It's often sneered at. Were you aware of that?

David Stephens: Not any real sneering as such, no.

Lumsden: There's a whole wide world out there, and it all needs to be accounted for, does it not?

David Stephens: Well, I...

Lumsden: But they sneer, do they not?

David Stephens: I'm not sure.

Lumsden: Oh, it's unfashionable, I know, but yes, we're methodical, yes, we're diligent, yes, we're serious, and where's the crime in that? Why not shout it from the rooftops? Yes, maybe sometimes we're a wee bit boring, but by God we get the job done.

David Stephens: Yes, sir.

Lumsden: And that's why I think you fit in here.

David Stephens: I'm boring?

Lumsden: You get the job done.

David Stephens: Oh, I see. I thought you meant...
Juliet Miller: We're going to dance?

Alex Law: Well, it's physical contact, isn't it?
David Stephens: You paid 500 pounds for this?

Juliet Miller: That's what it cost, David.

David Stephens: No, no, that's what you paid for it. 500 pounds is what you paid for it. We don't know how much it cost us yet. For you two to have a good time, we don't know the cost of that yet.
Detective-Inspector McCall: Only three people here? You're sure?

David Stephens: Yes, absolutely. Who said there were four?

Detective-Inspector McCall: Make a note of that, Mitchell. Only three, rather than four. Write it down. You can use numbers or words. I have no preference. Which are you using?

Detective-Constable Mitchell: Both, sir.

Detective-Inspector McCall: Excellent.
Juliet Miller: It's about me and David.

Alex Law: Oh, the perfect couple, I should say.

Juliet Miller: You mustn't take it so badly.

Alex Law: Oh, don't worry. I'd do exactly the same thing, only I don't think I'm his type.
Detective-Inspector McCall: In your work you must meet lots of different people every day. New people, new faces, no?

Juliet Miller: Yes.

Detective-Inspector McCall: What do you recognize most, names or faces?

Juliet Miller: Diseases.

Detective-Inspector McCall: Like recognizing criminals by their crimes.
Alex Law: I'd like to ask you about your hobbies... Now when you sacrifice a goat and you rip its heart out with your bare hands, do you then summon hellfire? Or do you just send out for a pizza?
Alex Law: I'm so happy I could DIE!
Alex Law: [reading Juliet's mail] He even signs them, in his own name can you believe it? I'd sign someone else's name... I'd sign his name!... If I wrote them that is, which I don't.
David Stephens: I am not ashamed. I have known love. I have known rejection. I am not ashamed to declare my feelings; take trust for instance, or friendship. These are the important things in life. These are the things that matter, that help you on your way. If you can't trust your friends, well, what then... What then?... Oh, yes. I believe in friends. I believe we need them. But if one day you can't trust them any more, well, what then... What then?
David Stephens: And how would you react, then, if I told you I was the Antichrist?
[During the interviews for flat mates]

Juliet Miller: So this affair you're not having - is it not with a man, or not with a woman?
[Alex is watching TV]

Juliet Miller: Have you seen Hugo?

Alex Law: No. Any idea which channel he's on?
Alex Law: Look over there! It's Cameron!

Juliet Miller: Who?

Alex Law: Cameron. You remember Cameron.

Juliet Miller: No, I don't.

Alex Law: What's he doing here?

Juliet Miller: That's not him.

Alex Law: It is. Cameron! Cameron! Come on over here! Come on!

Cameron: What?

Alex Law: Nothing. We thought you were someone else. Good luck. (Cameron leaves.) I love that guy, but why does he have to follow us around?
Juliet Miller: You're frightened.

Alex Law: I'm not frightened. I'm a little terrified, maybe.
[Alex is complaining about hiding the money in the attic]

Alex Law: I don't know why we couldn't just stuff it in a mattress, or under the floorboards like any other human being!

Juliet Miller: Stop nagging, Alex.

Alex Law: We coulda hid it in the fridge.
Alex Law: Are you comfortable Cameron?

Cameron: Yes, thanks.
Juliet Miller: Why do you want a room here?

David Stephens: Do you smoke?
Juliet Miller: [to Hugo] You must be Hugo.
Hugo: So I can have the room?

Juliet Miller: Yes, you can have the room.
Alex Law: [to Hugo] Hey Hugo, can you open your door?
Juliet Miller: Alex, what are you doing?

Alex Law: I'm just looking.

Juliet Miller: Don't.

Alex Law: Don't look?

Juliet Miller: No.
David Stephens: It's a sick idea Alex. It's sick.

Alex Law: Go ahead then, telephone. Telephone the police. Tell them it's a suitcase full of money and you don't want it.
David Stephens: I can't do it.
Alex Law: It's been a struggle but now our days of worry are over.
Alex Law: To love and to happiness forever.
Detective-Inspector McCall: And the other three people living in the flat?

David Stephens: There are only two other people living in the flat.
David Stephens: They know.

Alex Law: So they know.

Juliet Miller: He's right Alex, they know.
David Stephens: Are you looking for me?
Alex Law: Good, let's talk about disposal. Now we have to make that body unidentifiable and burning, dumping at sea and straight forward burial are all flawed, either by fingerprints or more commonly by dental records, this I have learned. Now what I suggest is we bury him out in the forest, but first or all we remove his hands and his feet, which we incinerate, and his teeth... which we just remove. It's as simple as that. David -

[sticks tool at Davids neck, laughs]

Alex Law: . I've always wondered what these were for. Now... oh...

[picks up saw]

Alex Law: This is what we need. And, em...

[picks up hammer]

Alex Law: this. Now, what else?

David Stephens: I don't know.

Alex Law: A spade, we need a spade - David, I wish you'd concentrate, we need a spade if we're gonna dig a pit.

David Stephens: So who's gonna do it?

Alex Law: Dig the pit? I don't know...

David Stephens: No, not that.

Alex Law: The what? Who's gonna do what?

David Stephens: You know what I'm talking about - who's gonna do it?

Alex Law: Do I? What? What are you talking about?

David Stephens: You know what. Who's gonna do it?

Alex Law: We all are David. We are all gonna do it. Each of us, you, me and Juliet will do his or her bit, okay? Fair enough?

David Stephens: I can't do it.

Alex Law: I don't hear this...

David Stephens: I won't be able to do it.

Alex Law: Are you telling me you want out already? Are you telling me you don't want the money? Hugo is going off, he smells-

[David hushes him]

Alex Law: The flat smells. We can't wait any longer.

David Stephens: I'm just telling you I won't be able to cut him up.
David Stephens: [David is being interviewed by detectives McCall and Mitchell about the burglary in the flat] So I just heard her cries for help and all that. And when I went downstairs there were already those other people there. So I just stood around, you know, waiting - the way people do. And when your colleagues arrived, I came back upstairs. That's about all I think. I didn't actually see anything useful, I don't think.

Detective-Inspector McCall: And the other three people living in the flat, did they hear anything?

David Stephens: There are only two other people in the flat.

Detective-Inspector McCall: [looks quizzically at Mitchell then flips through his notebook] Two?

David Stephens: Who said there were four?

Detective-Inspector McCall: We understood there were four people living here. Not always, of course, but now. Four.

David Stephens: No, three. Who said there were four?

Detective-Inspector McCall: [looks to Mitchell] How strange. And how unsatisfactory to have misleading information.

[looks back to David]

Detective-Inspector McCall: Only three people here? You're sure?

David Stephens: Yes, absolutely. Who said there were four?
Alex Law: How about we we draw lots for it? Whoever draws the short straw does it all. That way you either do it or you don't. All or nothing.

Juliet Miller: OK. I can go with that.

Alex Law: David?

David Stephens: I don't know.

Alex Law: Look, if I draw the short straw, I'll do it. But I'm not gonna do it just because you won't!
David Stephens: I'm finished!

Alex Law: [giving him the hammer] Aye, but not quite!

David Stephens: [looks over at the grave] Is that going to be deep enough?

Alex Law: Don't worry about that.

Juliet Miller: Is this necessary?

David Stephens: Yes. Now, come on. All or nothing!
Alex Law: [attacking David after he struck Juliet] You shouldn't have hit her! You can do what you like, but you shouldn't have hit her!

Shallow Grave Quotes

Extended Reading

Shallow Grave short comments

Lysanne 2022-04-20 09:01:51

The music and editing features are already evident in this debut
Lelia 2021-12-24 08:01:08

Boyle's first step to become a master. One penthouse and one loft. Wake up to find that your friend is no longer worthy of your trust. The confined space is full of intrigue. The desperate breath of this cool Britain is something I haven't seen in previous films of the same period. In the end, Ivan's pale smiling face and the close-up of blood dripping on the pound were deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.