Many movie lovers just know when they’re watching a Richard Linklater film. For the past thirty years, the writer and director have honed his singular craft by making thoughtful, emotional films that speak universally to the human condition.
One tell-tale component of his work is screenwriting. Linklater is a master at generating visceral dialogue, and though his productions are financially modest, he always writes characters and stories that are rich with emotional depth and genuine humanity. Beginning with 1990’s Slacker, Linklater essentially kicked off a movement that would transform American independent cinema, and his unorthodox narrative approach (the “Before” trilogy and Boyhood both take place over several years, for example) cements his status as a true screenwriting innovator. He’s certainly not without critics, but they are only a further testament to the creative risks he is willing to take as a writer. In the latest installment of our series on screenwriting, Between the Lines, dive in and explore how the Texas-born director finds a way to connect with audiences everywhere.
