Home / Authors / John Michael McDonagh Biography

John Michael McDonagh Biography

Screenwriter

John Michael McDonagh is a British screenwriter known for his distinctive black humor and profound insights into social issues. His works often explore the complexities of modern society through satirical and critical lenses.

People Jesus Direct

Author:John Michael McDonagh

“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.”

Honest Being Honest

Author:John Michael McDonagh

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

Thinking Enough Good Enough

Author:John Michael McDonagh

“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.”

Different Real Country Kids Fall Fun Laughing Jokes Response Fall Back

Author:John Michael McDonagh

“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 Thinking World Kind Special Dialogue One Liner One Line

Author:John Michael McDonagh

“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.”

Writing Sometimes Pretentious

Author:John Michael McDonagh

“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?”

People Writing Film Memories Witty Ridiculous Dialogue Quentin Tarantino Wilder

Author:John Michael McDonagh

“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.”

Culture Ridiculous Pop Culture

Author:John Michael McDonagh

“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

Author:John Michael McDonagh

“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.”

People Thinking Film Strange Well Written

Author:John Michael McDonagh

About the Author

Known for: Screenwriter
Quotes: 10

Books & Sources

Similar Authors

Gwyneth PaltrowBrowse related quotes
Judd ApatowBrowse related quotes
Steven SoderberghBrowse related quotes
J. HobermanBrowse related quotes
Eli RothBrowse related quotes
Alfred KadushinBrowse related quotes
Jacob ZumaBrowse related quotes
Ellen PageBrowse related quotes
Angelina JolieBrowse related quotes
Clint EastwoodBrowse related quotes

John Michael McDonagh Biography

Related Quotes