We wanted to amplify [Alfie's] philosophizing and we felt it would be better if he were a bit of a stranger in this land. A bit of an outsider. And we thought a European commenting on American culture would be interesting. And put him a little bit as they say, 'A fish out of water' with American women,

It's his downfall. It's what gets him at the end, that he won't let the love in. He's incapable of it,

To call them emotional comedies sounds cloying. Like Billy Wilder said, 'You want to make them laugh and you want to make them cry,' and it's very hard to do so. If you ground it in reality, you get a more honest comedy. You don't have to reach for jokes to manufacture situations as much. And I think it's a type of film I do best.

I finally feel, after six or eight, I don't know how many movies I've directed, I know what I'm doing. I really know how to direct a movie now, and I really feel confident. It's such an empowering feeling, ... Someone once said to me that every director wants their first movie to be their fifth because you learn so much along the way and I finally feel I've put it together.

Mick and Dave, they've been on the movie a year and a half. Before we even started shooting they were on it. Through the dailies, Dave was on the set ... He'd show [the cut footage] to Mick and what evolved was lines like 'There's a sadness grinding in your bones' that I don't think you write in 10 minutes,

It was the best experience I've ever had. He is a complete artist and a total gentleman and a real friend,