--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like taking genres and subverting them…" description: "\"I like taking genres and subverting them. I did that with 'In the Valley of Elah.' I said, 'Okay, this is just a murder mystery. Relax.' And then, two ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/paul-haggis-5313_broke_i-like-taking-genres-and-subverting-them_2911208.jpg" --- # I like taking genres and subverting them. I did that with… ![“I like taking genres and subverting them. I did that with 'In the Valley of Elah.' I said, 'Okay, this is just a murder mystery. Relax.' And then, two thirds of the way through, I broke every convention of a murder mystery.” quote by Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/paul-haggis-5313_broke_i-like-taking-genres-and-subverting-them_2911208.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/paul-haggis-5313_broke_i-like-taking-genres-and-subverting-them_2911208.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/paul-haggis-5313_broke_i-like-taking-genres-and-subverting-them_2911208.jpg) > “I like taking genres and subverting them. I did that with 'In the Valley of Elah.' I said, 'Okay, this is just a murder mystery. Relax.' And then, two thirds of the way through, I broke every convention of a murder mystery.” [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creator subverts genre expectations, breaking mystery conventions midway. **In simple terms:** Subverting genre creates surprise. Key Takeaway Experiment with narrative structure. Themes creativity genre subversion Mood innovative provocative Type artistic educational When to use this quote - screenwriting workshops - film festivals - creative writing Key Concepts storytelling film theory Questions to Reflect On - When is subversion effective? - How does audience expectation shape storytelling? A Different Perspective Breaking conventions can alienate audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broke/) [Convention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convention/) [Conventions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventions/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Genres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genres/) [Genres Subverting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genres-subverting-4193896/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Murder mysteries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder-mysteries/) [Murder Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder-mystery-2/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [Relax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relax/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking/) [Taking Genres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-genres-4193897/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thirds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirds/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Valley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valley/) [Valleys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valleys/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [A detective with his murder mystery, a chemist seeking the structure of a new compound, use little of the formal and logical modes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-n-lewis/a-detective-with-his-murder-mystery-a-chemist-seeking-the-structure/) [Gilbert N. 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