Synecdoche, New York (Sih-neck-doh-kee) is a ‘mind-fuck’ of a film brought forth by the ever originally abnormal Charlie Kaufman. Kaufman wrote the screenplays for such films as Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and does like wise for this one. However, he also makes his directorial debut with this story on a grand scale of oddities.
Caden Cotard (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) is a director for a local theater, who grows increasingly grim as he develops a multitude of symptoms upon symptoms of abnormal skin diseases. His boils, blisters and puss bubbles can be somewhat disturbing. His wife Adele (Katherine Keener) is an artist who seems trapped and more than unhappy with the path her life’s led down. And frequently dreams of ‘what might have been.’ Adele and Olive, their 4 year old daughter, move to Berlin to further pursue Adele’s career as an artist of perpetual small proportions.
With his wife and daughter in Germany, Caden’s seemingly loose grip on life unravels. His life fills with emptiness and his purpose seems lost and out of reach. Which is when he receives and is rewarded the McArthur grant for his achievement in theater, which he decides to invest in a stage play project of mammoth and epic magnitude. The play: Life through Caden’s spectrum in a life size replica of Manhattan, told by a cast of thousands hired by Caden to portray himself and people throughout his life. This, I might add, is were the story really gets ‘Kaufman-ized.’
Caden begins a fresh relationship with his box-office window lady, Hazel (Samantha Morton). Oddly enough, she purchases and lives in a house that is constantly ablaze in fire and engulfed in smoke. However, when Caden hires an oddball actor to portray himself (Tom Noonan) and Tammy (Emily Watson) to play Hazel, emotions become tangled and identities confused. Some suffer for it. Through certain circumstances, that I will not divulge, Caden must hire an alternate actor to assume the vacant role of himself. With his own health and physical condition deteriorating after 17 long years of set construction and stage rehearsals and ZERO live performances, Caden hires Ellen Bascomb (Dianne Wiest) to finish what he cannot. From this point on, I must say, is one of the coolest, most thought provoking ‘what does it all mean,’ endings I’ve ever seen. It’s most comparable to that of ‘The Fountain’ with some truly mind-bottling visuals and artful and unique story telling.
Phenomenal performances throughout are what make Synecdoche, New York in its angst filled, and sometimes Chlosterphobic entitlement, all worthwhile. From beginning to end, Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s performance is reason enough to see this film. At any one specific time, emotions are so charged and overwhelming, it felt as if something was about to burst. But it kept my interest just the same.
Charlie Kaufman is not known for his ‘Blockbusters’ or ‘box-office smashes.’ His films require a thought process that few besides himself possess and or understand. It will take me watching this film time and time again to get an idea of what he was really trying to convey to the audience and even then, I still might be lost. An outstanding actor’s piece and a great directorial debut, just not a made movie.
IMDB: 7.7/10
Rottentomatoes: 66 %
Moviewiseguys: 7.0/10