And I thought Adaptation. was hard to review…

Synecdoche, New York is the new film written by my favourite writer Charlie Kaufman as well as being his directorial debut. Anyone who recognises the name will know Kaufman is known for his…well lets just say “odd” approaches to cinema (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for example). So, it stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as an aging theatre director who wants to do one last piece before his inevitable death.

The best way to review Synecdoche, New York is to break it down into as tiny pieces as possible. First of all, you’re probably wondering what the title means. It basically means that Synecdoche, New York is the title of the film. From the brief description I’ve given, this film probably sounds pretty ordinary to you. Okay, we’re all used to large skips of time in film (mostly epics, biopics, sci-fis, some dramas and crime films) or a film’s plot being only a few days long allowing more time on each day (Memento, Se7en). However, Synecdoche, New York explores the element of time like no other film, but originally very subtly. In the beginning of the film, we hear Caden Cotard’s (Hoffman) radio turn on in the morning. The presenters say the date is some day in September. Next cut is to downstairs where Hoffman in the same clothes walks down the stairs and prepares breakfast. He picks up the paper. Date? October. These time skips get more and more sparse later in the film. You won’t even realise it’s been 17 years until a character says it. We see Hoffman’s character slowly evolve (or is that devolve) and age becoming more absorbed in his ambition.

Synecdoche, New York is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen before. First time director Kaufman leaves no holds barred using an array of intelligent filmmaking and screenwriting techniques, such as the burning house, to transport the viewer into Caden’s world. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is fantastic and so are the supporting roles. Quite frankly, no other film has had such an impact on me as this has, it truly inspires the audience in a complex manner which left me thinking about it for weeks and even now it still confuses me. It’s one of those films which isn’t afraid to leave many questions unanswered and that all depends on each member of the audience’s unique interpretation.

The further we get into the film, the more complex the set becomes, more and more extras, more and more buildings and more stories behind each individual. Caden even goes so far as to hire somebody to play himself, Sammy (Tom Noonan) who has been following Caden for 20 years. One of the pinnacle moments of the film is when Sammy, as Caden, hires somebody to play Sammy. But perhaps Synecdoche, New York’s finest moment is when a surprisingly brilliant monologue comes from a completely new character, the pastor at the funeral of Caden’s mother. A massive exaggeration is put into this by not only director Kaufman, but also the director of the play inside the film who is now acting as Caden, but not like Caden.

I don’t want to spoil the heart breaking ending for you lest to say it’s a moment that you will never forget. This is true cinematic history in the making.

Watching the film is a much better idea than just reading the plot, everybody takes it differently. I for one hardly even think of it as a film. It has the cliches of a film, but if you’ve seen it you know what I mean. Trust me, there’s something in this film for everyone and it’s one you’re gonna watch again and again.

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