Bond’s deadpan reply to Q’s demonstration of the Ericsson phone in Tomorrow Never Dies ranks among their sharpest exchanges. The scene is saturated with the kind of crisp quips and effortless one-liners that define their dynamic, yet my favorite moment is when Q earnestly explains the above line and Bond counters with the wonderfully dry, “So that’s what I’ve been doing wrong all these years.”
The line is simple, but its delivery and pacing of the entire scene makes it an all-time Bond/Q interaction. Moreover, its playful score only heightens its charm, and it’s so great that it literally syncs with their banter, giving the entire interaction an almost musical lightness. Bravo!
