She brushes off critics who say she’s rehashing the same tired themes with the same roles, movie after movie. “There’s just so much truth in [the characters],” she says. “I think I could probably play them until I die.”

The movie’s soundtrack prominently features the work of such early alternative pioneers as Frank Black and Robert Pollard. Though the placement of the songs in the film can at times be awkward, Hoge explains that music was a large part of preparing himself, and his actors, for the film. He sent each actor books and music intended to help them with character development. For Gosling, it was the Magnetic Fields; for Spacey, Joni Mitchell; for Malone, the Pixies, who she admits to never having heard before her preparation started.

“It’s just about surrounding yourself with music, and books, and watching films and reading real stories about people who are in similar emotional situations,” she says of the process.

Before she can finish the thought, Hoge interjects excitedly to plug Jeremy Enigk and his album Return of the Frog Queen, a strong influence on the film. “You have to get this album, it’s just great. It created this beautiful melancholy sound, and I just felt that this was the tone I wanted for the film; the sense that there was a sadness, but underneath it there was an undercurrent of hope.”

As time begins to run out, one question still remains: how did they become such good friends? Malone immediately jumps in with her own praise for Hoge. “You just wanted to be there, because of the creative space he let us have, and the trust he put in us as well,” she says. “You just feel so psyched to go to work.” They both smile warmly, their friendship seemingly stronger than ever.

“I just had really really talented people to be around,” Hoge responds, “who are also really, really nice, good people, and really hardworking. I lucked out, so my hope is just to keep those people close, and stay away from the evil people who populate most of Hollywood.”

“Evil people?” retorts Malone as they both rise to leave. “But aren’t we trying to break down stereotypes? Maybe they just went down a path that’s, you know, less understandable.” They laugh in unison one final time, as they head out the door towards their own respective, equally unknowable paths.