You have more and more people coming into the tent with the creative guys [on Hollywood films]. You have marketing and concept testers, advertising people. What you find gets the high numbers is easily appealing subjects: a baby, a big broad joke, a high concept. Everything is tested. The effect is to lessen the gamble, but in fact you destroy a writer's confidence and creativity once so many people are invited into the tent.

I've done it with Broadcast News-where there was no finish line, there was no agenda that I had to move all the characters to this point, that I was sort of open to what happens.

I always believe you can't kill good movies, because somebody's in some room and will die unless it gets made.

I love romantic comedy, but I think you have to have another idea that you're chasing along with romantic comedy.

Kids in general make things fresh and alive and they have this great appreciation for, Holy mackerel, we're making a movie!

Great things that can happen when you're doing a movie.

I took some time out for life.