Charlie Kaufman’s (“Being John Malkovich,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) movies have never ever been for the faint of heart. While there are some that are more mainstream and easily digestible, like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Anomalisa,” there are also films like “Synecdoche, New York” that are beloved by film fans and virtually impossible to be enjoyed by the average cinema goer.
“i’m thinking of ending things” is the latest from Kaufman, adapted from the novel of the same name by Iain Reid. To classify the film’s genre is actually more straight forward than his past films, as this one veers far more into psychological thriller or even horror territory than his past works. Even at his most depressing in “Synecdoche” or “Anomalisa,” Kaufman blends his works with a wry sense of black humor that are unmistakable when compared to his contemporaries.
His directing style here is minimalist, almost like he’s mixing Wes Anderson’s static shots and lateral movements with David Cronenberg’s sense of dread and darkness. It makes for a purposefully uncomfortable viewing experience that feels more like you’re being dragged along for the ride, rather than experiencing it alongside the characters.
Those characters are all extremely fascinating in ways that are impossible to parse while the film is happening, but thanks to some incredible performances, not once can you tear yourself away from them. Jesse Plemons (“Other People,” “Friday Night Lights”) is the only named character, Jake, a young man taking his girlfriend to visit his parents for the first time. His performance teeters on neurotic and self-aggrandizing but is an absolute powerhouse throughout the entire film. Jessie Buckley (“Chernobyl,” “Wild Rose”) is Jake’s girlfriend, and delivers a triumphant performance that makes her an easy frontrunner for an Oscar.
Toni Collette (“Muriel’s Wedding,” “Hereditary”), as Jake’s mother, continues to mine her newly minted middle-aged scream queen status by turning in a truly bizarre role that is equal parts endearing and absolutely unnerving. David Thewlis (“Anomalisa,” “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”), as Jake’s father, is a slow and quiet counterpart to Collette, but is nevertheless fascinating to watch. Guy Boyd (“The Young Pope,” “The Loudest Voice”) plays a janitor that seemingly doesn’t do much of anything and yet does everything by the end.
There’s almost no way to review this film. You can easily talk about the physical makeup of its construction; how it looks, sounds, how the actors are, how the dialogue is, but at the end of the day all of that is thrown out the window if the final product somehow doesn’t coalesce into one finished piece. “ending things” somehow does and doesn’t.
It’s the perfect masterpiece of a singular vision, one that begs to be discussed for weeks after the first viewing is over with. Kaufman’s master control over the pace and tension of the film means that nary a moment goes where he doesn’t have a firm grip on the audience’s attention. Yet, numerous moments throughout the film cause nothing but a “What the fuck?” reaction. Nothing is explained, yet everything is fascinating.
So where does it lie in terms of quality? How can a critic judge a work like this? Everything is expertly constructed, placed in each scene verbally and physically with the precision of a surgeon. Is the point of it to create discussion? Is it purposefully confusing or just meant to be open to interpretation?
This is without a doubt one of Kaufman’s most intense and enveloping films. It’ll be discussed for months, and it’ll never really leave the viewers head. Some aspect will still be there, be it the performances, the music, the cinematography, or any number of the philosophical ideas and time paradoxes it presents. It is a boldly original work that defies the “one and done” viewing attributed to disposable cinema, and even the “I’ll see it in theatres twice” suggestion purported by critical darlings or Oscar bait pieces.
But still. How do you judge a work without knowing what the work is?
The best answer I can give is, you don’t.
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