Review of Synecdoche, New York (2008) by Shajeev W — 23 Apr 2010

A film to split audiences down the middle: achingly brilliant or pretentious twaddle? Admittedly baffling from start to finish, Kaufman's story of dramatist Caden Cotard desperately creating his magnum opus out of the debris of his ruined life, as that life continues to crumble around him, is richly rewarding if you stay the distance.

The film gets cleverer as it becomes more chaotic and, while many questions remain unanswered, the ending is just right leaving you feeling oddly fulfilled, even if you're not quite sure why. Excellent performances all round from a talented ensemble and yet another stellar turn from Philip Seymour Hoffman - one of, if not the most, underrated actors in the business today.