I think that people have expectations of themselves and other people that are based on these fictions that are presented to them as the way human life and relationships could be, in some sort of weird, ideal world, but they never are. So you're constantly being shown this garbage and you can't get there.
Charlie KaufmanI think if something resonates, even if it's surreal, it's because it is relatable and I think that that's a core issue for me.
Charlie KaufmanFailure is a badge of honor. It means you risked failure. And if you donโt risk failure, youโre never going to do anything thatโs different from what youโve already done or what somebody else has done.
Charlie KaufmanDirecting was a big learning experience for me because I had to deal with every aspect of everything-all this constant decision-making, with people asking you questions at every moment, and you have to have answers for them all.
Charlie KaufmanWhen you approach middle age, lots of stuff happens. Your body is aging, you're watching people around you get sick, you're watching people die, your mortality becomes very present at that point in your life.
Charlie KaufmanMy point of view comes more from the literature I've read and the comedy of the era. When I was a kid, coming across National Lampoon Magazine, that was a big thing. I suddenly felt like there were other people that felt the way I did, and there was a way of expressing and communicating this worldview.
Charlie Kaufman