Richard Linklater, the acclaimed director of 'Slacker' and 'Boyhood', has blamed Donald Trump for a modern era where truth is upended. Speaking at the Venice Film Festival, where his latest film 'Hit Man' premiered, Linklater said: 'This century, truth is upended, and everything's inverted. Moral, immoral. What is that? I want people thinking about that.' When asked if this was Trump's fault, he replied: 'Everything's Donald Trump's fault!'
'Hit Man' stars Glen Powell as a college professor who poses as a hitman for the New Orleans police. Based on a true story, the film explores themes of role-playing and morality. Linklater noted: 'It's all about roles and acting and what is true. They're all role playing. They're all acting. But aren't we all?'
The director also discussed relocating the story from Houston to New Orleans, which he called a 'perfect metaphor' for the film. 'There's so much life. But there's a lawless, uneven aspect,' he said, adding that a murder occurred near the set and his cinematographer was carjacked.
Linklater's 'Dazed and Confused' is being re-released in the UK for its 30th anniversary, alongside 'School of Rock' for its 20th. However, the director said he doesn't have time for nostalgia, focusing instead on his latest work.
