I think it's what gives people screen charisma. You see that there is something going on behind their eyeballs. They're not dead, and some actors are. Articulate and well-educated, Podeswa is a focussed, serious man. Even when he tells crackling, witty jokes, he's in control, well-tempered, unfailingly polite.
People adore the guy.
You never know. There are so many elements that go into making a movie. They credit Podeswa's sterling script, a two-year tour de force of writing and workshopping. If you approach it with pessimism, then this is the way things are going to go. To me, this movie is about making that choice.