Review of Synecdoche, New York (2008) by Christopher D — 11 Feb 2010

Like the warehouse that can somehow contain a whole city, there is so much to unpack here. It contains multitudes, an achingly but never fraudulently sad meditation on life, and art, and relationships, and the steady decline of our physical selves and the accomplishments we never made. It charts the entire second half of one man's life in unflinching, hyperreal/surreal detail, but anyone who has ever felt the urge to create or the remorse of not doing so will recognise so much here.

I've heard far too often the word 'pretentious' slung in to reviews of this film so haphazardly, but nothing this genuine and personal could be accused of that. It affected me more than any film I can remember, which in the end is a more telling review than just writing about how great the cast, or the script, or the score or the production design is, although these are all very true. Like all things worthwhile, it won't be for everyone, but it certainly deserves to be seen. It certainly won't be easily forgotten.