Synecdoche, New York (2008)

I enjoyed Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine... and Being John Malkovich. Naturally this enjoyment would lead me to want to see charlie Kauffman's directorial debut: Synechdoche, New York. The short plot for this movie is a bit misleading:

A theater director struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse as part of his new play

While that part is true, and extremely interesting it is merely a sideplot, in a giant whirlwind of arthouse madness. Phillip Seymor Hoffman plays the familiar role as the gritty characiture of humanity blurred by melancholic sarcasm. The movie toggles between mundane scenes surrounded by sadness and splices them with other mundane scenes surrounded by surreal fantasy. While the general premise of this movie is enjoyable, it is almost dwarfed by an abundance of sideplots, extended dialogue and bewildering scenes. 50% of the movie will never be explained and once you give up hope between distinguishing between reality and fiction, you are left with a feeling of hopelessness. This is not hopelessness in the existential sense, but a hopelessness in the knowledge that this movie will never have the resolve you have been wanting. I can handle the fact that the oddness, strangeness and surreal moments were not attached to any sort of dream plot, but after 2 hours this type of ethereal film experience can leave a viewer feeling fatigue, even anger. Rather than putting the proverbial puzzle together, Kauffman begins taking parts away until a very incomplete confusing picture is left. It is a type of film which set internet forums ablaze with interpretations. If you have read any literature on the concept of the Simulacrum, then your halfway to understanding this movie. Now imagine reading your copy of Baudrillard and putting it down for a second to rub your eyes in philosophical haze. reread the last sentence two more times. Feel a little confused? Welcome to my experience of this movie. No one likes the feeling of incomprehension of bewilderment when they see a movie. they weigh the price of their movie ticket with the feeling of frustration afterward. More so no one will like to admit to not understanding the deeper concept of a movie when they realize there is nothing left for them. Maybe I should have watched My Name Is Bruce, which was incidentally being shown in the theater next to us. I believe I heard the dim murmur of laughter and general enjoyment. Damn it.