Review of Synecdoche, New York (2008) by Marc L — 11 Feb 2011

All kinds of bizarre self-reference happening within "Synecdoche, New York," especially considering how neurotic we have to assume screenwriter Charlie Kaufman really is, given that this film is possibly a labyrinthine meditation of his personal fears, and in turn our own, and how they not only dominate our lives, but illuminate them.

You may think it's pretentious and self-absorbed garbage, but the performances are stellar, and Kaufman is unthinkably natural in his directorial debut. The movie earns a high rating for its countless unforgettable moments and pure artistic ambition that never talks down to its audience. For a movie this bloated to work, Kaufman realizes it has to work on a purely emotional and visceral level, and for me, it pays off. Yes, sometimes in spite of itself.