Alexander Payne Quotes

A collection of quotes by Alexander Payne.

Alexander Payne is an acclaimed American film director, screenwriter, and producer known for his distinctive storytelling style and dark humor. He was born on February 10, 1961, in Omaha, Nebraska. Payne developed a passion for storytelling at an early age and later pursued his interest in filmmaking at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). During his time at UCLA, he directed a number of highly regarded short films.

Payne made his feature film directorial debut with "Citizen Ruth" in 1996, a satirical comedy about the abortion debate in the United States. However, it was his subsequent films that brought him widespread recognition and critical acclaim. Notable among these is "Election" (1999), a dark comedy exploring the politics of a high school election, followed by "About Schmidt" (2002), a poignant drama starring Jack Nicholson.

In 2004, Payne reached new heights of success with the critically acclaimed film "Sideways." The movie, a buddy comedy-drama set in California's wine country, received numerous accolades and earned Payne his first Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He went on to direct and produce several other notable films, including "The Descendants" (2011) and "Nebraska" (2013), both of which garnered critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations.

Known for his unique storytelling approach and his ability to capture complex characters and their journeys, Alexander Payne has firmly established himself as a prominent figure in American cinema. His films often tackle themes of identity, regret, and the human condition, leaving a lasting impact on audiences worldwide.

Hollywood films have become a cesspool of formula and it's u

Hollywood films have become a cesspool of formula and it's up to us to try to change it... I feel like a preacher! But it's really true. I feel personally responsible for the future of American cinema. Me personally.

Alexander Payne

I don't feel despair because I am able to make the films I w

I don't feel despair because I am able to make the films I want to make, and that gives me hope.

Alexander Payne

I guess maybe I try to make movies that are closer to real l

I guess maybe I try to make movies that are closer to real life than are many Hollywood movies. But I still try to stay within a commercial narrative, a contemporary American vernacular.

Alexander Payne

Joe E. Lewis said, 'Money doesn't buy happiness but it calms

Joe E. Lewis said, 'Money doesn't buy happiness but it calms the nerves.' And that is how I feel about a film being well-received.

Alexander Payne

Each one of my movies becomes easier to get off the ground.

Each one of my movies becomes easier to get off the ground.

Alexander Payne

You just never know when you're living in a golden age.

You just never know when you're living in a golden age.

Alexander Payne

When you're a houseguest and you leave, it's nice to straigh

When you're a houseguest and you leave, it's nice to straighten something up or send your hosts a useful gift. And when you leave the planet, it's nice to have made a positive contribution.

Alexander Payne

Anytime you cast a movie and you need someone famous in the

Anytime you cast a movie and you need someone famous in the lead part, you're a prisoner of whoever happens to be famous in the six-month window in which you're trying to get a film financed.

Alexander Payne

The biggest fear I have is to die with regrets, and of cours

The biggest fear I have is to die with regrets, and of course that will come true.

Alexander Payne

The novel succeeds on terms exclusive to literature. A good

The novel succeeds on terms exclusive to literature. A good film succeeds on terms exclusive to the cinema. That's why so many bad novels can become good movies, like 'Jaws' or 'The Godfather.'

Alexander Payne

Once you are labeled 'the best' you want to stay up there, a

Once you are labeled 'the best' you want to stay up there, and you can't do it by loafing around.

I get asked, 'How can you have such failures in your films?'

I get asked, 'How can you have such failures in your films?' Well, what else is life about? There's some sense of constant failure in something. Humor gives you a distance from it.

Alexander Payne

I mean, look, I love movies, not just the ones I make... In

I mean, look, I love movies, not just the ones I make... In fact, I don't like the movies I make very much.

Alexander Payne

Marketing has supplanted story as the primary force behind t

Marketing has supplanted story as the primary force behind the worthiness of making a film, and that's a very sad thing. It's film only as a function of consumerism rather than as an important component of our culture, and that's everywhere around the world.

Alexander Payne