Paul Thomas Anderson urges stronger screenwriting in modern cinema

Director Paul Thomas Anderson told critic David Ansen at a public forum in Palm Springs that contemporary films often excel technically but suffer from weak scripts. He praised the visual skill of emerging filmmakers, noting that the technical bar has risen dramatically, yet emphasized that solid, foundational writing is essential for a film’s lasting impact.

Anderson warned that many movies are “wonky and lopsided” because the narrative underpinnings are fragile, and he called for new filmmakers to devote more energy to developing robust screenplays. He also observed that television’s longer format offers writers more space to build characters and stories, a factor contributing to the perceived decline in cinematic writing quality.