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Liam Hennessy: [shoots McGrath in the knee] That's me being nice!
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Quan Ngoc Minh: IRA politics and terrorism are different ends of the same snake. Whichever end you grab, you still grab a snake.
Liam Hennessy: It makes a great deal of difference which end you grab, because one end will bite!
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Quan Ngoc Minh: [after Hennessy declines to discuss the bombers' identities with him] You will change your mind.
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Liam Hennessy: [answers phone] You come to my office and plant a fucking bomb?
Quan Ngoc Minh: Have you changed your mind?
Liam Hennessy: Changed my mind? Are you out of your fuckin' tree? You have no idea who you're dealin' with. But you'll soon find out.
Quan Ngoc Minh: Give me the names.
Liam Hennessy: I'll tell you what. Let's meet face-to-face. We'll settle...
Quan Ngoc Minh: [hangs up]
Liam Hennessy: ...the fuckin' wanker threatened me and hung up!
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Liam Hennessy: You killed my dog.
Quan Ngoc Minh: Dog's fine. Just sleeping.
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Quan Ngoc Minh: [opens coat] I'm wearing a bomb. Anyone comes in, I touch it one, then we die. Now, give me the names.
Liam Hennessy: They claim to be IRA, but I don't know who they really are. I'm doin' everything I can to find out who's responsible.
Quan Ngoc Minh: [puts gun to Hennessy's head] You're lying! Who killed my daughter?
Liam Hennessy: I'm sorry! I truly don't know yet!
Quan Ngoc Minh: [pause] The explosive the bombers use, it's Semtex-H?
Liam Hennessy: [nervous] Yes. Yes. You know about Semtex?
Quan Ngoc Minh: I know Semtex-H. During the war Czechs make for the army. Good for bombs and traps.
Liam Hennessy: In Vietnam?
Quan Ngoc Minh: Yes. Many American people died by Semtex-H. Now, IRA use to kill my daughter. That's ironic.
Liam Hennessy: I've read your history. We both know about war. We've both tried to put it behind us. You and me, we're alike.
Quan Ngoc Minh: [backhands Hennessy in the face] We are NOTHING alike. You're NOTHING! You kill women and children! NAMES!
Liam Hennessy: To Almighty God, I don't know!
Quan Ngoc Minh: [cocks the gun]
Liam Hennessy: WAIT! Wait! I've set a trap for them when they use the next bomb. When they claim responsibility for the next bombing, they'll use a code word, telling the police they're IRA. I've changed that code word. So when they use it, I'll know.
Quan Ngoc Minh: [lowers the gun] You have one day.
Liam Hennessy: ...what if they don't set off a bomb by then?
Quan Ngoc Minh: Twenty-four hours.
[leaves]
Liam Hennessy: ...Jesus. Oh, Jesus, sweet Jesus.
The Foreigner Quotes
Extended Reading