--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think romance is a tool, comedy is a…" description: "\"I think romance is a tool, comedy is a tool and drama is a tool. I really just want to tell stories that challenge the viewer, move people, make you la..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/jason-reitman-6741_approach_i-think-romance-is-a-tool-comedy-is-a-to_2882967.png" --- # I think romance is a tool, comedy is a tool and drama is a… ![“I think romance is a tool, comedy is a tool and drama is a tool. I really just want to tell stories that challenge the viewer, move people, make you laugh, perhaps push an idea about being open-minded but never settle on a genre or an opinion. I hate genre. I like movies that are original in their…” quote by Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/jason-reitman-6741_approach_i-think-romance-is-a-tool-comedy-is-a-to_2882967.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/jason-reitman-6741_approach_i-think-romance-is-a-tool-comedy-is-a-to_2882967.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/jason-reitman-6741_approach_i-think-romance-is-a-tool-comedy-is-a-to_2882967.png) > “I think romance is a tool, comedy is a tool and drama is a tool. I really just want to tell stories that challenge the viewer, move people, make you laugh, perhaps push an idea about being open-minded but never settle on a genre or an opinion. I hate genre. I like movies that are original in their approach.” [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. All narrative forms are tools; avoid genre constraints to tell original, thought‑provoking stories. **In simple terms:** Stories are tools; avoid genre limits. Key Takeaway Create genre‑defying, original stories. Themes creativity storytelling genre Mood innovative challenging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - film production - writing workshops - creative brainstorming Key Concepts narrative theory artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance originality with marketability? - What tools help break genre habits? A Different Perspective Genre expectations can limit audience reach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Being open minded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-open-minded/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Never settle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-settle/) [Open minded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-minded/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) ## Related quotes > [I'm very concerned that we don't make movies that are original anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-zemeckis/i-m-very-concerned-that-we-don-t-make-movies-that-are-original-anymore/) [Robert Zemeckis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-zemeckis/) > [Be open minded, but not so open minded that your brains fall out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/be-open-minded-but-not-so-open-minded-that-your-brains-fall-out/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Be kind. It's worthwhile to make an effort to learn about other people and figure out what you might have in common with them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/be-kind-it-s-worthwhile-to-make-an-effort-to-learn-about-other-people-2/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I think we have an obligation to put on a fun show and put on a concert that's memorable, that's energetic and that spreads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dirnt/i-think-we-have-an-obligation-to-put-on-a-fun-show-and-put-on-a/) [Mike Dirnt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dirnt/) > [Keep an open mind---but not so open your brain falls out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-low/keep-an-open-mind-but-not-so-open-your-brain-falls-out/) [Robert Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-low/) > [Its about continuing to learn and being open-minded, don't ever think you know it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/its-about-continuing-to-learn-and-being-open-minded-don-t-ever-think/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [I think being open-minded about what Nature is trying to tell you is the key to being creative and successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-bassler/i-think-being-open-minded-about-what-nature-is-trying-to-tell-you-is/) [Bonnie Bassler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-bassler/) > [You mustn’t be so open-minded that your brains fall out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cheever/you-mustn-t-be-so-open-minded-that-your-brains-fall-out/) [Susan Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cheever/) > [You don't want to be so open minded that your brains fall out!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/you-don-t-want-to-be-so-open-minded-that-your-brains-fall-out/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“The acknowledgement of a single possibility can change everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/the-acknowledgement-of-a-single-possibility-can-change-everything/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [Let go of your attachment to being right, and suddenly your mind is more open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/let-go-of-your-attachment-to-being-right-and-suddenly-your-mind-is-2/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [African-Americans have been brainwashed into not being open-minded, not even considering a conservative point of view. I have received some of that same vitriol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/african-americans-have-been-brainwashed-into-not-being-open-minded/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [Never settle for that which is easy and comfortable or the necessity of seeking that which is difficult and uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/never-settle-for-that-which-is-easy-and-comfortable-or-the-necessity/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Never settle for average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/never-settle-for-average/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Never settle for the crumbs of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/never-settle-for-the-crumbs-of-life/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) ## More by Jason Reitman > [When I write a film, all I think about is where the thing ends and how to get the audience there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/when-i-write-a-film-all-i-think-about-is-where-the-thing-ends-and-how/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I think it's a mistake for young filmmakers to just buy digital equipment and shoot a feature. Make short films first, make your mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-think-it-s-a-mistake-for-young-filmmakers-to-just-buy-digital/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > ['Election' is a movie I'd give a leg to cross the director's name out and put mine in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/election-is-a-movie-i-d-give-a-leg-to-cross-the-director-s-name-out/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [It’s funny, I can sit through the worst horror film ever made! But even a quite good romantic comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/it-s-funny-i-can-sit-through-the-worst-horror-film-ever-made-but-even/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [Things like Facebook have made you feel as though you're connected to everybody. You've got a thousand friends on Facebook, but you don't actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/things-like-facebook-have-made-you-feel-as-though-you-re-connected-to/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [It's funny, I can sit through the worst horror film ever made but even a quite good romantic comedy can drive me nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/it-s-funny-i-can-sit-through-the-worst-horror-film-ever-made-but-even-2/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-laugh-a-lot-in-horror-films-if-i-m-scared-in-a-horror-film-i-try-to/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-used-to-have-a-group-called-bad-movie-saturday-every-saturday-six/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [ “\[With comedy and wanting to make people laugh,\] when you're a child, all you want is ANY kind of laugh. You get them to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/with-comedy-and-wanting-to-make-people-laugh-when-you-re-a-child-all/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/from-the-onset-of-the-live-read-series-we-wanted-to-hit-all-the-major/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [There certainly is no secret in that there are plenty of people who don't like plenty of my movies. Each one of my films…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/there-certainly-is-no-secret-in-that-there-are-plenty-of-people-who/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [Creating a wonderful drama is an art form, while comedy is just entertainment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/creating-a-wonderful-drama-is-an-art-form-while-comedy-is-just/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [Most people see a documentary about the meat industry and then they become a vegetarian for a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/most-people-see-a-documentary-about-the-meat-industry-and-then-they/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [Discover how little you know about the people you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/discover-how-little-you-know-about-the-people-you-know/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I'm a kind of private guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-m-a-kind-of-private-guy/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) [Explore all 98 Jason Reitman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) ## More Approach quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [What begins as a Utopian vision, always - always - ends in bloodshed. Because you have to force a utopia on a free people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/what-begins-as-a-utopian-vision-always-always-ends-in-bloodshed/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) [Browse all 3,949 Approach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think romance is a tool, comedy is a tool and drama is a tool. I really just want to tell stories that challenge the viewer, move people, make you laugh, perhaps push an idea about being open-minded but never settle on a genre or an opinion. I hate genre. 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