Review of I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020) by Manicure — 03 Jan 2021

"I'm Thinking of Ending Things" is the work of a brilliant writer with undeniable imagination, passion and attention to detail, but that ultimately fails to sustain interest and create an emotional connection with the viewer. The main problem is that despite the countless hints that let you more or less figure out where the story is going, what the real theme of the film is, but you never get a clear, satisfying answer in the end. A brief Wikipedia search of Ian Reid's original novel will clear most of your doubts, but I still think that a film should be understandable on its own without relying on outside sources. It's like reading a music score without a key signature, all the information clearly in front of your eyes but without a reference framework to hold them together.

The film is full of rich, cerebral dialogues brought to life by the cast's solid performances, but it's never engaging to the point that you feel like watching the whole again to get all details and little clues.