15. Youre my god damn hero - Broadway Bro Down The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)
The Taking of Pelham 123 was a remake of a 1974 version starring Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, a film that was never a classic in the first place. With a screenplay initially written by David Koepp (Spider-Man) then re-written by Brian Helgeland (who Scott had earlier collaborated with on 2004s Man on Fire), the film is a great example of Scott really trusting his actors. Set in a post 9/11 New York City where recession was starting to take a foothold, the film is a tete-a-tete between Washingtons everyman whose made some mistakes, train dispatcher Walter Garber, and Travoltas Wall Street guy-cum-prison inmate-cum-terrorist (boo!), Ryder. Surrounded by a solid supporting cast that includes John Turturro, Luis Guzman and James Gandolfini, the film is largely Travolta and Washington shouting at each other over walkie-talkies, so its when Travoltas Ryder calls Washingtons Garber out of his dispatch office that Scott gets a chance to shine. Now there are no prizes for guessing how the movie ends, the hostages are safe and the bad guys days are numbered, but Scott does his damnedest to make this exciting. As Garber catches up with Ryder on The Manhattan Bridge (the inappropriateness of this location is duly noted) helicopters circle as the music swirls in a scene that unsurprisingly didnt earn Travolta an Oscar nod though his overacting is enjoyable. Scott is in full control of the chaos, as the music shifts from climactic to tranquil, Scott has barely broken a sweat.