Review of Synecdoche, New York (2008) by Andy A — 25 May 2010

This was so hilarious!!! And moving and sad as well. What a wonderful example of how to do absurdism in film. Judging from the reaction to this movie, absurdism gets the same kind of mixed polar-opposite reaction in film that it does in theatre, but that's the price you pay for brilliance! Brilliance, I tell you! I don't even understand how people can say that this movie's pretentious, because the humor completely negates any element of pretension. The primary intent is to make us laugh, not furrow our brows and go, "Hmm." Yes, it's a more surreal way of portraying someone who's losing touch with the people he cares about as he becomes more aware of his own mortality, but who can't relate to that concept? I love movies that handle that kind of heavy subject matter with off-the-wall humor. People love this kind of humor when it's on SNL, but when it's attached to a more meaningful story, all of a sudden they can't handle it. Pfff. Don't get me started.

The only thing about this movie that might be potentially inaccessible is the title, since it refers to an obscure literary term that isn't really explained in the movie. But if you know what it means, you realize how much it fits. This writer is original and challenging and fun. Charlie, I got your back.