Movie #273 ........................."Synecdoche, New York

Movie #273 "Synecdoche, New York is one of those non-linear type of movies, quirky, surprising in parts, laughable in others; it lumbers from one scene to another, but there's something about it that gets my interest. The subject matter? maybe, it's death, and the director makes that plain to all his cast members by telling them at their first meeting that we are all hurdling towards death, so we might as well put a play on about it. That got my attention. Maybe it's the goofiness of the characters, like his ex-wife whose artistry requires magnifying glasses to view; Maybe it's the richness of acting with Samantha Morton, Hope Davis, Michelle Williams, Diane Wiest, and Emma Watson, to name just a few women in his life. How about the ironic tone? when the director can't even play himself --- Diane Wiest plays him better, so he settles for being the maid. The reasons go on, and I'm sure I'll be thinking about this movie for a long time, but I can't really recommend it to many people. It wasn't a "fun" watch, just a cerebral one ---- but then again, he isn't telling us anything new --- but it is original in the way it is told. That's due to Charlie Kaufman. Eager to see more of his work!


You rated this movie: 3.0
Synecdoche, New York
(2008) R
After his painter wife (Catherine Keener) leaves him and takes their daughter to Berlin, theater director Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman) stages an autobiographical play in a massive New York City warehouse amid a life-size replica of Manhattan. Meanwhile, Caden must contend with the many women in his life -- including a box-office worker, an actress and a shrink -- in this beguiling directorial debut from screenwriter Charlie Kaufman.