“Whether a filmmaker or not, I can be a fan because it has so many symbols and situations that reflect life itself, growing up. Even growing up in the suburbs, you still have friendships the same way these kids have friendships.”

“For me, Sleeper was a great balance between physical comedy—slapstick humor—and  clever savvy social satire. At that point I’d never really seen a film that has really balanced  both of those elements. It was kind of like—you know how Rubber Soul and Revolver are the best Beatles albums because they’re somewhere between ‘She Loves You’ and ‘I Am the Walrus’? They have elements of catchy pop songs, but with experimental stuff in them.”

“I also think it just taught me so much about the admiration I had for the performers, and their ability to contain and to completely trust their director. It’s not designed to be completely digested at a conscious level; it can’t be. There are many sequences that may be taking place in the imagination or in the possible imagination of one of the characters. That’s going to change from one reading to another. That’s what makes the film exciting.”

“I defy anyone who is able to watch that film, and the end when the table is cleared, and everyone is coming in with the money—I just cannot believe there isn’t anyone with wet eyes at that point, or a big lump in their throat. I’ve seen it millions of times, and I’m just in floods of tears at that point.”