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the wrong package decades before, and thenlittle
by little seeing your dreams whittled away. Warren
Schmidt's an upper-mid-level functionary, rather
than a captain of industry, or of law [as in the
novel]. I wanted someone who'd hit a ceiling in
life. Plus it's funnier. It's funnier that he
wasn't even vice president; he was assistant
vice president. [I get asked,] "Why is a
young guy like you interested in retirement? Or,
"Do you know older people?" What are
you supposed to say? I [answer], "You write
it. You make it up. And hopefully you're being
sensitive while you write it."...It's really
as though this theme chose me.
On how he was elevated by Nicholson:
Working with him—the precision with which
I had to direct him—made me a better director.
He can so do anything you ask him to do that I
had to be very precise with the directions I gave
him because he would do them. And if I misspoke
a little bit, he would do that. And I'd have to
say, "Oh, shoot, Jack, I'm so sorry, I think
I misspoke on the last thing. Really what I mean
is this..." And then 
he would do that. He's wonderful.
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