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I know people have posted their thoughts about the film in the movie tab thread, but I haven't seen a thread yet devoted entirely to the film...
my thoughts...
Synecdoche, New York (2008, Charlie Kaufman)
No one can ever say that Charlie Kaufman is not creative. His dives into the mind have produced many wonderful films, but with Synecdoche, New York he also takes on directing duties for the first time. This film is very unique and creative, but is ultimately joyless.
Philip Seymour Hoffman has made a career out of playing neurotic and self-loathing eccentrics, so his character, a talented but pessimestic theater director, is right down the actor's alley. He is twiced divorced in the film and it covers his life from middle age to death. The film is a meandering and grim look about his relationships to his wives, girlfriends, and daughter and in them he finds glimpses of hope, but also despair.
The supporting cast is excellent and I don't need to mention that the acting is top notch. The film fails for me because it attempts to do too much - show an entire life - within two hours. And no, this is not an epic. It reminded me of those dolls within dolls at first, but then I realized it was more akin of a mirror looking into a mirror in the way that Hoffman's play reflected his own life and then back again and back again and ...
A very creative film, but joyless: this is not to say that I dislike grim and joyless stories. I loved the play Death of a Salesman. There was joy in watching the joylessness. In Synecdoche, New York there is only tediousness and pretenciousness. This is a Charlie Kaufman film made by and for Charlie Kaufman and few others.
Grade: C
my thoughts...
Synecdoche, New York (2008, Charlie Kaufman)
No one can ever say that Charlie Kaufman is not creative. His dives into the mind have produced many wonderful films, but with Synecdoche, New York he also takes on directing duties for the first time. This film is very unique and creative, but is ultimately joyless.
Philip Seymour Hoffman has made a career out of playing neurotic and self-loathing eccentrics, so his character, a talented but pessimestic theater director, is right down the actor's alley. He is twiced divorced in the film and it covers his life from middle age to death. The film is a meandering and grim look about his relationships to his wives, girlfriends, and daughter and in them he finds glimpses of hope, but also despair.
The supporting cast is excellent and I don't need to mention that the acting is top notch. The film fails for me because it attempts to do too much - show an entire life - within two hours. And no, this is not an epic. It reminded me of those dolls within dolls at first, but then I realized it was more akin of a mirror looking into a mirror in the way that Hoffman's play reflected his own life and then back again and back again and ...
A very creative film, but joyless: this is not to say that I dislike grim and joyless stories. I loved the play Death of a Salesman. There was joy in watching the joylessness. In Synecdoche, New York there is only tediousness and pretenciousness. This is a Charlie Kaufman film made by and for Charlie Kaufman and few others.
Grade: C
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"A candy colored clown!"
Member since Fall 2002
Top 100 Films, clicky below
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"A candy colored clown!"
Member since Fall 2002
Top 100 Films, clicky below
http://www.movieforums.com/community...ad.php?t=26201
