Quotes

Dialogue

Coombes: What you gon' do about Abraham? Brubaker: I've got Purcell filling out forms in triplicate, and I'm going to get him released just as soon as I- Coombes: Now why do you wanna go and do that? Brubaker: Do what? Coombes: Look, why don't you just leave him be. I mean, all he knows is this place. Brubaker: You - You knew that he had been in here as long as he'd been in here. Coombes: Just leave him alone. He's not- He's not botherin' nobody here. Brubaker: Hey... You can't hide in prison forever, Coombes.

Dialogue

Rauch: Sanitation detail. You too, Bullen! Coombes: Now, wait a minute. This man's hurt. Rauch: You just deal with the colored - I'll take care of the white folks. 'Sides, I don't think Bullen's got much more'n refried shit for brains this morning.

Dialogue

Brubaker: Hey. Can we talk? Walter: Who the fuck are you? I want the man! Brubaker: I am. I am the man. I'm the new warden here. My name's Henry Brubaker. Walter: [throws Bullen and advances on Brubaker] Man, don't be fucking with my head. 'New warden' my ass! Brubaker: It's true - I swear it. Walter: Then how come you look like a scumbag? Brubaker: 'Cause I'm fooling those guys out there.

Dialogue

Brubaker: Mess with me now; you're gonna regret it later. Coombes: We don't work this thing out fast, mister, you're not gonna be around later. Brubaker: Do you want ID? Coombes: Listen, man. All I have to do is raise my right hand and that tower guard's gonna blow you out. Brubaker: ...or you can continue walking with me, like the smart escort I figure you to be.

Dialogue

Bullen: I got picked up for vagrancy - a misdemeanor. Next morning, the toilet's broke clean off the damn wall. There's six men in the cell, and they stick me with destruction of city property over $50. Felony number three. Brubaker: Habitual. That judge gives you life for a toilet. Bullen: Yeah, or give me the toilet for life. Same difference. Anyhow; here I am shoveling shit for dead men. Brubaker: Instead, how'd you like to be a trustee, and run my motorpool? Bullen: Mr. Brubaker, I've been studying you since you first come in. And it's come clear to me that you are one weird fucking individual. I ain't got you figgered out yet - whether you're a good thing or a bad one. Brubaker: Does that mean you'll run my motorpool? Bullen: [whistles] Wear them khakis? Get me a guitar? Be the warden's new boy? Brubaker: No, you're smarter than that. Bullen: The whole world's fucked up, Mr. Brubaker. Ain't no use.

Dialogue

Brubaker: Tower number 3 - who'm I looking at? He's looking at me. Coombes: Up there, you got Douglass Mizell. Brubaker: Who the hell is Doug Mizell? Coombes: He's a forger. Three times grand theft. Brubaker: I want a rundown on everybody that's got tower duty. I- Coombes: I do believe that's Purcell's job, sir. Brubaker: I want only murderers up there; one-time impulse killers. Coombes: Well, aren't you taking kind of a chance doing that? Aren't you? I mean, uh... Brubaker: No, it's the habituals you can't trust. Murderers - most of 'em - already have it out of their system. Guys like you, right? Coombes: [laughs] There's nobody around here like me.

Dialogue

Brubaker: Why don't we build them a roof that won't cave in on their heads? Rauch: That's enough. Brubaker: An insured roof, this time. Glenn Elwood: What do you mean? Brubaker: The collapsed roof isn't covered at all - that's what I mean. But we DO have coverage for thrashing machines, balers, swathers, a tractor... Rauch: Sounds pretty sensible to me to have the things insured. I approved those policies personally. Brubaker: You did more than that: your company sold us the policies. The only trouble with it is: we don't have any of that equipment on our farm. It doesn't exist. Rauch: What you HAVE got Mr. Brubaker is a piss-poor attitude.

Dialogue

Brubaker: You're not eating? Coombes: I don't eat that shit you eat. Brubaker: Do you know anything about nutrition? Coombes: I know about hungry.