I think there have always been funny women from Carol Burnett to Joan Rivers. When the audience sees a woman they innately know she's worked twice as hard to get there she's had to prove that she can be the leader first and then be funny on top of it. She has to emit a confidence that she's in control.
I think Chris Weitz is an amazing director and his sensibility - I wouldn't even know how to articulate it - it's just he's a very sensitive interesting guy.