What do you think about the state of comedy movies right now? It seems R rated adult comedies and gross out fare are doing pretty good business at the box office.
"It seems like some of the bigger comedies that have come out this summer have done pretty well. And so I think that, like right now, that some of the more bankable stars and bankable movies are in comedy.
The gross out thing is just like, I’m like the Baxter in that sense. I’m a man out of time and I just don’t like it. Even though I’ve done it in my career, I just don’t like it. Maybe I should open my mind to it a little bit but I don’t know."
Is it true you’re more of a fan of the old style comedies, of Hollywood comedies from the 40s and 50s?
“Yeah, or even like ‘When Harry Met Sally.’ That is the funniest movie to me. Or Cameron Crowe. To me, they make really funny, funny movies. Or even Woody Allen, Steve Martin. These movies to me are so funny. I feel uncool when I watch those gross out comedies. I feel like I’m not cool enough. They make me uncomfortable.”
Do you think there’s still room for that type of comedy today?
“I really hope so. I don’t think ‘The Baxter’ should be seen as a litmus test for that because I think that ‘The Baxter’ is quirky and weird enough that it’s not really like [the normal romantic comedy]. I may one day actually attempt the bigger scale mainstream comedy that doesn’t work in that genre. And then I think that might be a litmus test. I think ‘The Baxter’ is a sort of odd, sweet, funny movie that should be seen more as a kind of alternative to the multiplex kind of thing. It’s just a different flavor.”
