I watch movies all the time, so it's hard to pick certain specific directors that have inspired me in the aggregate.

Peter Bogdanovich is a good friend.

I kind of live like a writer. I get up and I write. I've done that my whole life.

Being articulate, my parents could make anything sound reasonable.

I know people who are incredibly successful who still dress the way they did when they were 18, just because they still think that's how they look good.

I always viewed life as material for a movie.

I do like having books on my shelves. I do value that life.

I think all my movies are about transitions to some degree.

I think it's always interesting how music means different things to different people, and people who overthink it are looking to in some ways show off with music, versus people who just respond to a song and decide to sing it.

I've run into more people walking in L.A. than if I drove. Because you stand out so much if you walk. People from my past have stopped their cars and said, 'Hey!' But if I was in a car, they never would've seen me.

I really like my first movie a lot, 'Kicking and Screaming.' I think it's a - I'm very pleased and proud of that movie, but it wasn't the - it wasn't 'Citizen Kane' right out of the box, you know? It wasn't 'Sex, Lies and Videotape.'

I made two movies very young, and then I had trouble getting a movie made, and so - which was both, I think, a plus and a minus. It was a minus because it made me unhappy.

I think if we taped a lot of families that claim to be relatively normal, you'd be surprised when you hear some of the things said.

I'm curious how people build up the codes that they live their life by, and how they come to think that that's the best way for them to function.

When I start a movie, there will be certain films that I watch again just because the vibe seems right.

I suppose some studio executive would say it's death for a comedy if people aren't all laughing in the same places, but I find with my movies that people laugh in very different places. I can't control it.

I get a lot of responses to my movies. Some people say, 'Oh, I thought it was really funny - I hope that's okay!' And my answer always is 'Yes. It's totally okay.'

Anyone who's putting money into your movie would always rather you cast well-known people.

Adaptations are fun for me because they connect to the idea of filmmaking I had when I was a kid. I would see a movie and think: 'I'm gonna make that movie.'

When you're around your family, and you have that history and that shared language, you say things you'd be embarrassed to hear quoted back to you later.

Even fairly serious moviegoers can't shake this shadow of the corporate world.

I think anxiety is dangerous, but it makes you think it's your friend.

I don't agree with the idea that my characters are unlikeable.

I think I was going through a lot of change at 27, but I didn't know it was happening until it was over.