My first instinct was to cast as close to the short story as possible, but then I realized that I needed actors who could go for it and that they had to function well as a couple in a love story.

It's just what I am. When I am in the zone making one movie, I just didn't want to read anything else or do anything else, so I don't really develop projects.

Emotions serve characters' purposes. That is their motivation.

Kids don't even read comic books anymore. They've got more important things to do - like video games.

I like to do drama, something about life that could be disappointing.

After making several tragic movies in a row, I was looking to do a comedy, and one without cynicism.

I wanted to shoot straight, mainstream, somehow off-beat. Not only realistic West, which is quite unfamiliar to the world's population - even to a lot of Americans.