The Negotiator (1998)

Kevin Spacey: Chris Sabian

Photos 

Quotes 

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : I once talked a guy out of blowing up the Sears Tower but I can't talk my wife out of the bedroom or my kid off the phone.

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : I can't believe this, I'm just surrounded by a room of people who wanna go in there and kill him. This is the guy who call you friend. I got nothing invested in this. I wonder why that is, or maybe someday we'll find out.

• Lieutenant Danny Roman : You were wrong about me. What if I'm right about them?

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : But what if you're wrong about me?

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : You hurt one of them, you burn up any currency you have with me. They're all I care about. Getting you out of here alive... a distant second.

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : I'm a stranger to you. You have no idea what I am capable of.

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : You think killing a man gives you the right to negotiate with me?

• Lieutenant Danny Roman : I like westerns, like Shane.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : It's interesting that you pick one where the hero dies.

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : What are you talking about? He doesn't die. He rides off into the sunset, and that kid says "Come back, Shane!"

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : That's a common misconception, in the last frame he's slumped over on his horse.

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : So he was slumped, slumped don't mean dead.

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : Well I guess you think Butch and Sundance lived too.

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : [hanging up the phone on Danny Roman]  Relax... he'll call back.

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : You okay?

  Rudy Timmons : Does it look like I'm okay? I got a gun pointed to the back of my fucking head.

  [Looks at Sabian's ski gear] 

  Rudy Timmons : Nice fucking pants, man.

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : I want you to apologize for telling your mother she looks...

  [Sabian's daughter makes a huge gesture with her hands] 

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : Wide.

  [Sabian smiles and whispers at his daughter] 

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : Wide's not a good word, how'd you like to be called wide?

• Lieutenant Danny Roman : You working?

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : Sort of. I was negotiating a truce between my wife and daughter.

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : Then I'm proved to be easy by comparison.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : It wouldn't surprise me in the least.

• Lieutenant Chris Sabian : "I can't believe this, I'm just surrounded by a room of people who wanna go in there and kill him. This is the guy who call you friend. I got nothing invested in this. I wonder why that is, or maybe someday we'll find out."

• Lieutenant Danny Roman : You working?

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : Sort of. I was negotiating a truce between my wife and daughter.

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : That might prove to be easier by comparison.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : So I see you shut the heat off already.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : You know how this works Danny.

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : Yeah I do. Next time you try and bluff, make sure you charge your cellphone.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : You wanna tell me what I'm doing up here?

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : I just wanted to tell you face to face I'm not crazy. I'm just doing this to prove my innocence.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : I believe you Danny. Whatever I can do to help you get out of here...

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : Don't fucking patronize me man! I know you don't think I'm innocent so don't try to tell me I'll do whatever I can to help you get out of here. Don't talk to me like I'm some second rate HT.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : You're right I'm sorry my mistake.

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : Yeah you are sorry. Get out of here lock the door. Call me when you're ready to talk.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : No wait Danny I'm ready to talk. You're right. You're right.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : I'm not here to prove your guilt or innocence. That's not why I'm here. You could've done everything they said you did. You could've killed that cop. I don't know. I don't care. There are ways to prove your innocence, but this is hardly one of them. And now you got hostages. So let me tell you something. You hurt any of them, you're going burn any currency you got to deal with me. They're all I care about. You leaving here walking is a distant second. Now do I make myself clear?

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : Hmph. Now we're getting somewhere.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : Now answer my question. What am I doing up here?

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : Before Nate was killed he told me the guys involved in the fraud were from my precinct. Guys I trust. Guys I might call friends.

  Lieutenant Chris Sabian : And?

  Lieutenant Danny Roman : You're not. When your friends betray you, sometimes the only people you can trust are strangers.