Review of Synecdoche, New York (2008) by Travis S — 11 Dec 2011

(Four out of a four star rating) There is a lot to be said about the complexity, creativity, and wonders of Synecdoche, New York. Synecdoche, New York is like reading a beautifully written poem or play; it is thought-provoking and requires a lot of thought to find the hidden messages and answers.

There is more here than just brilliant acting, impeccable makeup work, and masterful cinematography. Synecdoche, New York is a film which requires your mind utterly opened. Charlie Kaufman isn't afraid to go where many filmmakers wouldn't dare to go.

He dares us to dive into the looking glass of understanding our very existence. Through Synecdoche, New York Kaufman breaks free of all boundaries, and presents a masterful portrait of life through the magic of storytelling.

This was one of the most complex films I've seen, but then again so is life and its functions. Our point of view prevents us from understanding these functions. In order to understand ourselves we need to stand back, view our life, and categorize it as if it were played out in a staged theatrical performance.

What if we were able to stand back and have someone else play out every scene of our lives? We would probably find the answer to our true selves. This is a great film which cannot be fully appreciated by watching only once.

Even in it's complexity you find yourself hungry; check that, starving and craving for the realization of human life. The film will not be easy for everyone to completely understand, but that is the point.

We have to search and search and search for years; even decades just too fully understand ourselves. Love it or hate; I guarantee anyone with an open mind will find themselves thinking and plunging deep into the endless abyss of human understanding long after the movie is over with.