Paul Rudd in The Baxter Courtesy of IFC Films

PAUL RUDD

PREMIERE: What drew you to this movie? Was it the stupidity and silliness?
PAUL RUDD: It was definitely, yeah, a big plus. I love David, I think that it was the people that were making it and Ken Marino and David Wain. Besides being friends of mine, we've worked together in the past. I'm a fan of theirs, and their sensibility — when it comes to making kind of absurdist comedy, it is in line with my own. I just find them to be really bright and insightful and ridiculous. So I was happy to be a part of it. I think you get to know somebody, and a lot of the same stuff makes us laugh, and we can talk about creative conversations of all kinds [and we're] on the same page. It might be absolutely the complete wrong page, but all of us are on the same wrong page.

Silliness serves a good purpose?
Oh my god, I think it serves a great purpose. I mean, what if you're bummed out or stressed or anything? What is better than laughing at something — especially something silly? I love comedies and I always have. Growing up I was really drawn to funny movies or television shows or comedians or whatever. It really runs the spectrum from — one of my very favorite movies ever is Dr. Strangelove, but then I can also really love Dumb and Dumber. It's a wide spectrum, and big, broad, silly comedies, a lot of comedies that might get raked over the coals critically, I enjoy much more than some really serious kind of social statements. I'd rather watch Beerfest.

You played an unhappily married man in Knocked Up and then again in The Ten you are a man locked in a failed marriage…
There's nothing serious about anything that we're saying or doing, even though the commandment is adultery, and I suppose if you say, "Well, I was married in the movie but then I leave my wife for Jessica Alba," it's so dumb that when we get back together that I'm also just happily married again to Dianne Wiest. There's no way that anyone can take any of this too seriously.

If you could write or add a commandment what would it be?
These are the types of questions that you think you're going to get, therefore I should have an answer prepared. Thou shalt not — it's not a commandment, it's just good advice — go swimming immediately after a meal. You should wait at least half an hour.