Jason Reitman Quotes

Powerful Jason Reitman for Daily Growth

About Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman is an acclaimed American filmmaker, best known for his sharp wit, emotional depth, and distinctive style in storytelling. Born on October 19, 1981, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to renowned director Ivan Reitman, Jason was exposed to the world of cinema from a young age. This upbringing significantly influenced his decision to pursue a career in filmmaking. Reitman honed his skills at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama, where he developed a knack for writing and directing. His college thesis project, "Operating Instructions," was a short film that foreshadowed the themes of family, relationships, and technology that would become hallmarks of his later works. In 2007, Reitman burst onto the scene with his directorial debut, "Thank You for Smoking," a satirical comedy about a tobacco lobbyist. The film was a critical success, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. This was followed by "Juno" in 2007, a coming-of-age drama that garnered four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Reitman continued to explore diverse subjects, from the psychological thriller "Young Adult" (2011) starring Charlize Theron, to the romantic comedy "Labor Day" (2013) with Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet. His works often feature complex characters grappling with universal human experiences, making them resonate deeply with audiences. In 2015, Reitman directed "Men, Women & Children," a film that delves into the impact of technology on interpersonal relationships. His latest work, "Tully" (2018), stars Charlize Theron as a mother struggling with motherhood and mental health issues. Jason Reitman's unique storytelling abilities have solidified his position as one of Hollywood's most promising young directors. His films continue to captivate audiences and critics alike, ensuring that his name will remain synonymous with thought-provoking cinema for years to come.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The best stories happen when we're brave enough to let ourselves be vulnerable."

This quote by Jason Reitman underscores the power of vulnerability in storytelling. By allowing ourselves to be open, exposed, or emotionally raw, we create opportunities for authentic and compelling narratives that resonate with others. Vulnerability is not a sign of weakness but a courageous act that invites connection, empathy, and understanding among people. In essence, being vulnerable in storytelling can make the stories we share more impactful, relatable, and real.


"Filmmaking is all about subtext and nuance. The audience should always be a little bit ahead of the characters."

This quote by Jason Reitman emphasizes the importance of layered storytelling in filmmaking. By creating a narrative where the audience understands more than the characters, it encourages viewers to engage with the content, make their own interpretations, and feel invested in the unfolding story. This technique adds depth and complexity to the movie, making it more thought-provoking and memorable for the viewer. It also allows for a deeper exploration of themes and character development without relying on heavy-handed exposition. In essence, Reitman suggests that the power of film lies in its ability to suggest rather than explain, inviting viewers to join the creative process.


"I think good movies are like really great parties: you don't want them to end."

This quote by Jason Reitman suggests that a well-crafted movie, much like an engaging party, is an immersive experience that one wishes could continue indefinitely. The sentiment underscores the ability of great films to transport viewers into another world or time, allowing them to forget their immediate surroundings and immerse themselves fully in the narrative unfolding before them. In essence, a good movie, like a fantastic party, offers an escape from reality, leaving audiences reluctant for the experience to come to an end.


"I want my films to feel like they were made by someone with a point of view."

This quote by Jason Reitman emphasizes his desire to create movies that are distinctively his own, expressing unique perspectives and creative visions. He wants his films not only to be entertaining but also to communicate something meaningful, leaving an impression on the audience that is distinctive of his artistic style and viewpoint.


"The movie doesn't have to be over when the story is over. You can keep following the characters and see what happens next."

This quote by Jason Reitman emphasizes the potential for sequels or continuations in filmmaking. He suggests that a film's conclusion doesn't always have to mark the end of a story, but instead can provide an opportunity for further exploration and development of characters, allowing viewers to witness their lives unfold beyond the initial narrative arc.


When I think of 'Nightmare on Elm Street,' there was a warmth to those teenagers that I related to. They were not aware that they were in the middle of a horror film, and I really loved those characters and I empathized with them.

- Jason Reitman

Think, Middle, I Think, Warmth

I used to have a group called Bad-Movie Saturday. Every Saturday, six of us would go see the worst movie that came out each weekend. It'd be noon in Burbank. It was just a running commentary. All executives - we would each talk through the movie and make jokes.

- Jason Reitman

Through, Movie, Saturday, Commentary

I have a strange fascination with the Midwest. I'm waiting to find out that my parents are actually from the Midwest. I grew up in Beverly Hills, up the street, and I just feel comfortable there. I've shot in Minneapolis, in Detroit, in St. Louis, in Omaha - they would say they're the Plains, not the Midwest - and I love it.

- Jason Reitman

Love, Waiting, Feel, Plains

I don't consider myself bossy, but I do know what I want. You know, I have a gut feeling about a piece of material, but I've never envisioned myself as the director on top of the hill with a megaphone in my hand, screaming at 1,000 extras.

- Jason Reitman

Top, Gut, About, Bossy

From the onset of the 'Live-Read' series, we wanted to hit all the major writers and Woody Allen is simply one of the greatest screenwriters of all time. He has ability to match pathos and comedy and drama and then turn it all on a dime. If you're going to make a series based on dialogue, you can't find much better than Woody Allen.

- Jason Reitman

Drama, Turn, Allen, Dime

Can you design a Rorschach test that's going to make everyone feel something every time - and that looks like a Rorschach test? It's easy to show a picture of a kitten or a car accident. The question is, how abstract can you get and still get the audience to feel something when they don't know what's happening to them?

- Jason Reitman

Feel, Show, Rorschach, Abstract

I remember when I was like 19 years old and I started a desk calendar company to pay for my first short film, just so I could say one day that my daddy didn't pay for my first short film. And I really established myself in the film festival world.

- Jason Reitman

I Remember, Remember When, Film Festival

I'm not going to have a perfect career. It's better to be Billy Wilder and make lots of movies and have five or six great ones than to make so few movies that when you make a bad one it crushes you.

- Jason Reitman

Career, Perfect, Billy, Great Ones

Filmmaking is a completely imperfect art form that takes years and, over those years, the movie tells you what it is. Mistakes happen, accidents happen and true great films are the results of those mistakes and the decisions that those directors make during those moments.

- Jason Reitman

Movies, Movie, Directors, Imperfect

I'd done table reads for my own screenplays, and I always thought they were so much fun. Why couldn't we do these for other classic screenplays and bring them to life? You can experience live theater, where you get to see plays produced by different directors and different casts, but there's really nothing like that for movie scripts.

- Jason Reitman

Thought, Movie, Other, Screenplays

'Juno' really changed things for me and I get a lot of screenplays come in now, but I like to self-generate and I like to kind of pursue my own ideas. And I think the more personal the better.

- Jason Reitman

Think, Like, I Think, Screenplays

When I look at 'Napoleon Dynamite's style I'm reminded of how I spoke when I was an eight-year-old boy. It was just like capturing the essence of, 'Duh!' It was just like the stuff that I would say when I was like eight, nine, ten years old.

- Jason Reitman

Spoke, Essence, Nine, Capturing

I laugh a lot in horror films. If I'm scared in a horror film, I try to think about what's scaring me... particularly, if it's a bad movie, but something they're doing still works. It's the same way I look at comedy. I've always had an intellectual view of comedy, and what makes people laugh, and how does it work.

- Jason Reitman

Doing, Bad, Works, Scaring

Doesn't every generation feel like the one that's coming up behind them doesn't know how to grow up? I'm not sure if we're progressively getting worse or if your perspective shifts.

- Jason Reitman

Behind, Feel, Your, Shifts

Comedy and horror are cousins; they're related. They both come from storytellers who want to specifically affect the audience and elicit specific reactions during the movie.

- Jason Reitman

Audience, Movie, Horror, Specifically

Well, Toronto, I consider to be the birthplace of my films. I've made three films and this is the third one to premiere here in the same theater on the same day at the same time - they are my audience. They're the people that I think about while I'm writing, directing, and editing. I specifically make movies for them.

- Jason Reitman

Toronto, Here, I Think, Specifically

As far as writing, I like watching bad movies. Nothing stops me in my tracks more than watching a great film like 'The Godfather' or 'Dog Day Afternoon' or 'The Graduate.' You watch one of those, and you never want to write again. Whereas with bad movies, it makes you think, If that counts, I certainly could write.

- Jason Reitman

Bad, Great Film, Counts, Godfather

I don't believe in director's cuts where you make things longer. The coolest thing was when the Coen brothers did a director's cut of 'Blood Simple,' and they made it shorter.

- Jason Reitman

Director, Brothers, Cut, Coolest

Filmmaking is finding a piece of granite and you start to chip away and then you have the shape of a head, the shape of the arm, you can see the shape of the face and the face starts to gather character. You have to find it.

- Jason Reitman

Away, Shape, Chip, Arm

People want to know if I have a moral standpoint that they should be picking up on, and the truth is, I don't. I don't want people to think that I'm trying to tell them to feel a certain way. I think that's cheap filmmaking.

- Jason Reitman

Tell, Certain Way, I Think, Standpoint

Rian Johnson's 'Looper' is inventive, entertaining, and thought-provoking in every way a movie can be. It is in fact the kind of movie that reminds us why we watch them and make them, a beautifully told story that deserves to be not only remembered, but acknowledged for its writing.

- Jason Reitman

Fact, Movie, Entertaining, Reminds

My high-school years were so mediocre - I moved out when I was 16 and started living with my girlfriend who was 10 years older. Apart from that, I was just a video nerd.

- Jason Reitman

Living, Started, Moved, Nerd

I hear the way people talk about the children of famous people. They're not treated very well. The presumptions are usually quite awful. So I tried to establish myself with a couple of movies. After 'Juno' I thought: 'I think I've defined myself enough as my own director that I'd love to work with my father.'

- Jason Reitman

Love, Very, Couple, Defined

'Looper' is about what your 55-year-old self would tell your 25-year-old self over a cup of coffee. It's about finding love in the third act of your life. It's about overcoming trauma and the idea of true sacrifice.

- Jason Reitman

Love, Trauma, Over, Overcoming

The first set I remember was 'Ghostbusters.' It was a scene in which the street erupted. I remember even at seven years old thinking, 'Wow, if you direct a movie, you can break the streets of New York.'

- Jason Reitman

I Remember, Movie, Streets, Wow

I find nice people kind of boring.

- Jason Reitman

Kind, Boring, Find, Nice People

And as a director, you make 1,000 decisions a day, mostly binary decisions: yes or no, this one or that one, the red one or the blue one, faster or slower. And it's the culmination of those decisions that define the tone of the film and whether or not it moves people.

- Jason Reitman

Director, Tone, Mostly, Culmination

'Alien' asked ground-breaking questions about eco-politics and female empowerment. 'The Matrix' delved deeper into the concept of perception versus reality than perhaps any other film I know. But for some reason, we tend not to remember the significance of their writing.

- Jason Reitman

Reason, Some, Other, Versus

Selfishness, narcissism, being uncomfortable in your own skin, not feeling connected to the world around you, feeling dislocated from family and youth, having a strange relationship with your childhood - all those things feel really true to me.

- Jason Reitman

Skin, Own, Feel, Selfishness

I think, through comedy, sometimes we're allowed to discuss things that you'd never be able to talk about in a drama.

- Jason Reitman

Think, Through, I Think, Discuss

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