Good ‘Friends’: Q&A with ‘Friends With Money’s Director Nicole Holofcener

Nicole Holofcener seems like she could be your really good friend. The down-to-earth writer/director of Walking & Talking and Lovely & Amazing recently chatted with Hollywood.com about her latest film Friends With Money, starring Catherine Keener, Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand and Joan Cusack. Its definitely a film every woman will be able to relate to.

Hollywood.com: Of all your films, this one seems to hit home the most, especially for women. It’s like you somehow had taped conversations between me and my friends.
Nicole Holofcener: Yes, I was taping you, in fact. [Laughs] In terms of writing natural dialogue, I just picture my friend or an actor or myself saying those words and it just comes out that way. I certainly do exploit a lot of my own relationships and my friends. Once I start making stuff up, the characters are based in a reality for me. I just hate showy dialogue. I hate dialogue that says, “Hey, aren’t I a great screenwriter? Aren’t I clever?” I don’t know people who talk like that. And frankly, there are probably people who talk like that, but I don’t want to be friends with them. Although, I wouldn’t want to be friends with everyone that’s in my movies either. Right? Who would? But these are people of my world.

HW: Was the concept of money–having it or not having it–the real impetus of the movie?
NH: I think the idea of money kicked off the script for me. It was a place to start. I actually had the title, Friends With Money, or at least what I titled the file in my computer, from the beginning. I didn’t actually think it would stick but it was just my first idea. That it would be fun, all the innuendos and subtle tension about money between friends. The opening dinner scene, for example–which only ended up being about money in part and turned out to be about a lot of other things. When I was first starting the script, I thought of that dinner scene and what it would be like for people with no money. Do you look at the menu differently? What do you order? Do you not drink or have an appetizer? And then splitting the check. There’s all these conversations about what you do? That kicked it off for me. But once I got going, it was the characters that got me through.

HW: You got another great cast, too, with Catherine Keener in the lead. Did your collaboration with Catherine begin with Walking & Talking or did you know her beforehand?
NH: No, we met on Walking & Talking. I had seen her in Johnny Suede and I just fell in love with her. I just thought she was perfect. So I tracked her down at my gym, one of the benefit’s of living in Los Angeles, introduced myself and gave her the Walking & Talking script. She just hung on with me until we raised the money to make it, which was a few years later. We became friends after that.

HW: How have you seen her change through the three films you’ve made with her?
NH: She has become a shallow bitch! No, seriously…um, how has she changed? As with anyone who has done more work, they become more confident, including myself. Catherine can enjoy working on movies now more than she did because she’s confident. Insecurity is painful, and I’m the first one to say it’s terrifying to make a movie. Now, it’s like, “OK, I think I know what I’m doing now, so I can enjoy it more.” And because we’ve worked together on three movies together our rapport is kind of like shorthand; there’s an inherent trust that is never there in the beginning with an actor. ‘Cause they’re wondering if I’m going to make them look like a jerk. Or not. And now that Catherine knows I’m going to make her look like a jerk, she can go about her day.

HW: Did Catherine help the other actors know how to deal with you? “What Nicole really means in this…”
NH: [Laughs] You know, I don’t think I’ve ever articulated it but Catherine gave me a stamp of approval so the other actors could relax around me. She could say, “No, Nicole really does love actors and would never do anything to manipulate you or embarrass you. You really got to trust her. Even if you don’t know what she’s doing, she knows what she’s doing.” And so they let go. Thanks to Catherine, that’s probably what happened.

HW: Was Keener’s character in this movie based on yourself?
NH: It’s true she’s a screenwriter and maybe I gave myself away. Parts of her are definitely like me but when I look at that character and the character Keener created, she’s really a whole different person. I would never do an extension [on my house] to block a neighbor’s view. I would be apologizing to a neighbor for even thinking about putting a second story to my house. So that part is not me at all. I like to think I wouldn’t be that oblivious. I’m actually more hyper-vigilant. Unfortunately. I’m also very much Jane [played by Frances McDormand] in terms of her personality and her gripes. I don’t behave the way she does in public but I’ve certainly felt the way she does. And my arms get tired when I wash my hair. And I have a lot of hair, so sometimes it’s like, ugh. Actually I’m compulsive about washing my hair, it’s never dirty. But my arms do get tired. I know a lot of women who can relate to the shampoo obsession, too.

HW: Do you feel a little more pressure with Friends With Money because of the bigger-named cast?
NH: I feel pressure more in terms of the potential for backlash because of the cast. That people’s expectations will be higher. But actually, its really like my other movies. There’s nothing bigger or fancier about it. Just a little more money. Don’t you think? It’s really in the mode of my other films, so I just hope people don’t expect something different. Maybe it’ll be a benefit, and more people will come see the film because of the cast.

HW: Was any of the Jennifer Aniston/Brad Pitt drama going on during the filming?
NH: It was all going on, unfortunately, right when we started filming. But it didn’t really impact us in a huge way. There was a lot of paparazzi but there probably would have been anyway. And she did not fall apart, not at all. You wouldn’t have known. Maybe she was more private than usual, more somber, but still had a really good time, very responsive and open. She’s a pro.

HW: Maybe this was a good movie for her to be doing during that time, because there seems to be a genuine camaraderie with these women.
NH: I’m sure it did help. I’m sure it helped she wasn’t, like, shooting murder sequences. Yes, I think that being among the friends and the fact I’m a woman probably helped. She was being supported a lot.

HW: What have you learned over the last 10 years as a filmmaker?
NH: I guess I’ve learned a lot in terms of the “craft.” That’s a barf word, but, you know, camera, communication on the set. But mostly I’ve learned to trust myself because if I could get away with it this many times, I must be doing something right. So, I just relax. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

HW: What kind of advice would you give an aspiring filmmaker?
NH: Um, I’ve done really well telling my own story and not telling someone else’s story. I’ve really written from my own life and my own heart and that’s done well for me. That’s what I’d advice someone who is compelled to do that. I certainly don’t think it always works. But you can try! And don’t do it for the money because then you just make sh**ty movies. And we don’t need more sh**ty movies.