Released earlier this year, The Bad Guys was well received by fans for its interesting plotline, heartfelt message, and unique cast of characters. From anti-hero Mr. Wolf (voiced by Sam Rockwell) and Mr. Snake (voiced by Marc Maron), this unusual cast goes through tremendous character growth from Bad Guys to Good Guys.
Nonetheless, this film has its fair share of hilarious moments and dialogue from each snarky member of the criminal crew, as well as other characters like the governor Diane Foxington and the tiny philanthropist Rupert Marmalade. The Bad Guys is just packed with so many iconic lines that leave viewers laughing along.
"Yeah. Well, that ship has already sailed."
Governor Diane Foxington
After Governor Diane Foxington gives Mr. Wolf a heartfelt talk on actually trying to be good and finding a better life than just being a criminal, she makes fun of his lamb onesie outfit and claims his dignity has already been lost.
This tease is a funny one-liner, but also adds depth to Diane's character, whose voice was provided by Zazie Beetz. She's known for being "good" and quite contemptuous of the Bad Guys, but she isn't made a self-righteous villain. She's still an interesting character that's funny, intelligent, and seems to genuinely want to help the gang grow into better people. She's able to take the typically very charming and suave Mr. Wolf down a few pegs and bring him back to a more honest and reflective version of himself.
"My baby!"
Mr. Shark
The gang is about to leave the gala after successfully stealing the Golden Dolphin, but their exit is accidentally ruined and they are left surrounded by police. Mr. Wolf is just about to smooth talk his way out of the situation, claiming to be innocent, until the statue falls out of Mr. Shark's dress.
This is a great scene to showcase Mr. Shark's quick thinking in an attempt to cover up the statue, but his panicked declaration can't get them out of their mess this time. It just goes to show how committed Mr. Shark is to his disguises, establishing him as truly a master of his craft and one of the most likable characters in The Bad Guys.
"What was that? What did you say? You think I can't do this?"
Mr. Piranha
As a part of Professor Marmalade's plan to turn the Bad Guys squad into good guys, he works on putting them into situations to help people. In this scene, Mr. Piranha attempts to help Mr. Wolf, who is portraying an elderly woman, across the street but disastrously fails after getting angry and releasing him, causing Mr. Wolf to be hit by a truck.
Mr. Piranha is known throughout the movie as fiery, rash, and quick-tempered, and this is only another great example of it. What makes this scene exceptionally funny is the reactions. Mr. Wolf's urgent distress before getting hit, the laughing then complete silence of the rest of the crew, and Mr. Piranha's stunned face only adds to the hilarity.
"You're insured, right?"
Mr. Shark
During a high-speed car chase where The Bad Guys characters are foiling Professor Marmalade's plan and stealing the glowing meteorite, Mr. Shark asks this sudden and unrelated question to Mr. Wolf about his car. Viewers and Mr. Wolf himself are left a little perplexed, until Mr. Shark completely rips the roof off the car, changing it into a convertible.
This scene not only reveals Mr. Shark's insane strength, but also the group's flair for dramatics and style. Despite the extremely high stakes, they take the time to make themselves look cool and have fun. Mr. Shark asking about insurance shows that he's still responsible and can even be compared to an adult in real life.
"It's not a butt! Not a butt!"
Professor Rupert Marmalade
When the gang first arrives at Professor Marmalade's house, he shows them his lamp in the shape of the Love Crater Meteorite. It's the beginning of an ongoing joke throughout the rest of the movie that the meteorite is shaped like a butt rather than a heart.
Not only is it entertaining for viewers to see the typically calm and cool-headed Professor lose his patience with the crew, but his bursting out aggressively is also a bit of foreshadowing of the twist where Marmalade is actually an evil villain. In this scene, he reveals his capacity for aggression and shows that there might be something more lurking beneath the surface.
"Well, there goes our street cred."
Ms. Tarantula
As part of the Bad Guys' "heist for good" to rescue guinea pigs from testing in a research lab, Professor Marmalade has them wear friendly animal onesies as opposed to their usual "criminal" garb. It is such a contrast to see these so-called predators and dangerous criminals in fluffy lamb, walrus, and unicorn outfits.
What makes this quote from Ms. Tarantula (voiced by actor and rap artist Awkwafina) particularly hilarious is the silence and the shocked looks on the characters' faces. The Bad Guys' quick acceptance of their fate just goes to show that they're willing to complete the task under any circumstances. Not only are they good at what they do, but this crew truly just loves a challenging heist.
"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!"
Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Shark, Ms. Tarantula, Mr. Piranha
One of Professor Marmalade's lessons to become good is to try and save a cat stuck in a tree. Although the crew seems a little out of their zone with the idea of rescuing, they all give it a try by gesturing at the cat menacingly.
It's extremely entertaining to watch the characters completely perplexed by these simple actions, although it is also concerning that due to the stereotype that they are nothing but monsters, these animals have had no experience and opportunity for even small kindnesses.
"I'm 99% sure you can make it... 96% sure. Maybe 90%. I don't know. 50...What day is it?"
Mr. Snake
Since Mr. Snake's favorite good is guinea pigs, the regularly grumpy character is overeager to play a big role in the heist at the research facility. He even volunteers, much to the other crewmates' confusion, to be thrown at a window as a rope and hook.
The viewer watches as Mr. Wolf struggles to throw Mr. Snake, instead bashing his head on the glass as Mr. Snake's certainty he can make it dwindles. This scene is a great way to showcase Mr. Snake's personality. His love for guinea pigs causes him to act out of character, which can similarly be seen down the line as his love for his friends causes him to act rashly.
"Well, this just got a little weird."
Mr. Wolf
At the gala, the Bad Guys seem to just about get away with the Golden Dolphin in tow as they all clutch onto Mr. Wolf and his grappling hook, and he pulls his pants off.
This scene has great comedic timing and is unexpected for the cool and effortless Mr. Wolf, voiced by Sam Rockwell. Not only does it show Mr. Wolf is able to make mistakes, but it also reveals even more about his personality that he is able to talk his way out of his mistakes. He's confident and quick on his feet, but more importantly, he understands how to manipulate others just like how he does with Professor Marmalade, making Mr. Wolf both a great crime leader.
"Everyone say 'robbery'!"
Mr. Wolf
When the gang returns back to their lair to celebrate Mr. Snake's birthday, they take a heartwarming picture together. Instead of saying "cheese" to form smiles on their faces, they say something else that makes them grin ear-to-ear, which is robberies.
Not only is this fitting for their criminal crew, but the picture holds symbolic meaning at the end of the movie to remind Mr. Snake of their friendship. All the photos hung up on the fridge go to show how the crew has helped Mr. Snake make better memories on his birthday than in the past and instead of no one showing up to his parties, all his friends will always be there to celebrate year after year.
Next: 10 Best Animated Movies Of 2022 So Far, According To IMDb