Synecdoche, New York Review

Posted by Chad Webb on 11.27.2008

Writer/Director Charlie Kaufman delivers an impressive and brilliant achievement.

Philip Seymour Hoffman: Caden Cotard
Catherine Keener: Adele Lack
Sadie Goldstein: Olive (4 years old)
Tom Noonan: Sammy Barnathan
Michelle Williams: Claire Keen
Samantha Morton: Hazel
Hope Davis: Madeleine Gravis
Jennifer Jason Leigh: Maria
Emily Watson: Tammy
Diane Wiest: Ellen/Millicent
Written/Directed By: Charlie Kaufman
Release Date: October 24, 2008
Running Time: 2 hours and 4 minutes







Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity.

When most people leave the theater after a movie, they usually have an immediate reaction to a film, stick to it, and move on with their daily routine. I'm not like that, at least, not always. For some film experiences, I allow my thoughts, questions, and concerns to percolate for awhile until I give a definitive answer as to whether or not I enjoyed it. This tactic can be helpful in leaning one way if I am on the fence. Synecdoche, New York, the directorial debut of Oscar winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, was just such an occasion. Initially, I felt restless and unsure, yet knew I had seen something extraordinary. But the more I reflect on its ambition, and the more I read about its various mysteries, the more I adored this messy masterpiece for what it was.

Synecdoche, New York, pronounced "si-nek-duh-kee" (with a stress on "nek"), is to 2008 as The Fountain was to 2006, and Syriana was to 2005. Francis Ford Coppola's Youth Without Youth was 2007's baffler, but a winner it was not. Synecdoche, New York is a motion picture that will have audiences and critics divided with either a "love it" or "hate it" opinion. And the line between the two will most certainly not be blurred. I compare it those films because they too were very complex and difficult to grasp in one sitting. That is the key. Some viewers do not like being challenged on this level. That is perfectly acceptable. I become enthused when a film pushes me to unlock more of its mysteries. If I must watch it a second, or even third time, that is fine. I did it with 2001: A Space Odyssey, so why shouldn't I be open to it again? If you purchase movie tickets solely for escapism, Synecdoche, New York might not be your cup of tea. The point is, no rules or regulations exist on how movies can be made, and Charlie Kaufman embraces that fact with this effort.

To those who have seen the film, the following summary will be general, vague, and not entirely in chronological order, but if I attempted to lay out the events as they unfold in the film, I would A) be doing a disservice those who want to see it, and B) be giving away too much plot information. The story focuses on Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a theater director in Schenectady, New York who has just finished a successful rendition of Death of a Salesman, and is ready to mount a new play after a receiving a MacArthur grant. In the meantime, Caden is battling various ailments, and his conditions only seem to get worse as he consults with more specialists. Also, he is married to a painter named Adele Lack (Catherine Keener), but their union is not a blissful one. Because of this, Adele packs up and moves to Berlin, along with their 4 year old daughter Olive (Sadie Goldstein). Caden's life is not going well. After a relationship with box office teller Hazel (Samantha Morton) runs flat, and his therapist is too busy plugging her book, he decides to dive head first into his new play, which he hopes will be a work of brutal honesty. He directs the cast in a celebration of the mundane, instructing each to live out their constructed lives in a growing mockup of the city outside.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is a unique breed of actor. He is one of the most consistent thespians around, yet he keeps selecting projects that are different, creative, and fascinating. Even if the material suffers, which is rarely the case; the audience at least knows they will get 110% out of him. He has proven this his whole career from Boogie Nights to Charlie Wilson's War. His portrayal of Caden Cotard is much more than a performance because he seems so natural for the role, perhaps because Hoffman, like Cotard has been a theater director. This is a portrait of an artist, one who understands what he wants in a play, but is somewhat lost in real life. Hoffman is simply mesmerizing in every frame as the superb make-up department ages his character seemingly with ease.

The supporting cast is sensational, and a reviewer could go on for pages about the magnificent work that the group contributes. Most notable is Samantha Morton as Hazel, the fiery redhead, who flirts incessantly with Caden as the box office clerk, and suddenly discovers what he is like behind the scenes. Morton establishes instant chemistry with Hoffman, or maybe vice versa, but together they form a strong bond on screen. Catherine Keener has worked with Hoffman before on Capote, and as husband and wife they shine again whilst displaying one of the most uncomfortable marriages in cinematic history. Elsewhere, the picture is elevated by terrific turns from the rest of the intimidating female line-up such as Michelle Williams as Claire, Hope Davis as the quirky therapist, Diane Wiest as Ellen, Jennifer Jason Leigh as Maria, Emily Watson as Tammy, and even little Sadie Goldstein as Olive, the girl with green poop. I better not elaborate.

Most of the criticisms reveal the same adjectives, for example: self-indulgent, pretentious, boring, and heavy-handed. It should come to no surprise to supporters of Synecdoche, New York, that these are tossed around. All the ingredients are in position to induce such comments. This is an independent film, it is written and directed by Charlie Kaufman, and it involves art in a big way. Complaints can be just when they are accurate, but I feel that many are resorting to easy criticisms that are indeed wrong, instead of thinking a minute, and developing intelligent arguments. Some films are designed to be perplexing. Just ask David Lynch, who assembles some projects in no specific order, includes objects or ideas just because he feels like it, and arranges them in a manner so that essays can be written regarding their "meaning." I don't mean to sound harsh on Mr. Lynch. In fact, he is a marvelous filmmaker, as long as one removes Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire (2006) from his resume. Kaufman's goal was not to confuse, but rather to test the limits of our minds, open up the endless possibilities of imagination, and instill intricate layers that are ready to be unveiled.

Synecdoche, New York uses a great deal of symbolism, foreshadowing, and psychological theory to illustrate its points. This can be aggravating for some, and exciting for others. Make no mistake, Kaufman drops plenty of hints as to the where, why, and how elements of his visually stunning and confoundedly stimulating piece. For instance, the first odd sequence is Hazel's apartment, which is on fire. Examining her character's personality if crucial. The multiple boils, zits, and sicknesses that Caden seems to suffer from are another. His last name is a clue. Time also passes by at an exceedingly weird pace, but an important one. Each moment was inserted for a specific reason, and that is evident due to the heart Kaufman employs in his approach. Through Hoffman, Kaufman can further explore that subject he is so infatuated: how people deal with fantasies, dreams, reality, etc.

The set decoration by Lydia Marks, the production design of Mark Friedberg, and the art direction of Adam Stockhausen is uniformly brilliant. Separate rooms are stacked on top of one another inside a warehouse within a warehouse, Adele's paintings must be viewed with magnifying glasses, and one apartment is spotlessly cleaned and lit with vibrant life. Frederick Elmes, the excellent and distinct cinematographer who worked on The Namesake and Broken Flowers brings his mastery to the table. He captures the dimly lit bleakness of a bedroom and the sheer wonder of an indoor city with precision, bravery, and fervor. Robert Frazen's editing gloriously aligns each scene of this hypnotizing puzzle, while Jon Brior's musical score saturates the background with the utmost poignancy.

Synecdoche, New York is a difficult film to describe, defend, or praise without exposing too much of its beauty. Charlie Kaufman's first time in the director's chair will probably not garner him the unanimous praise his outings as a screenwriter did because this time he was free to do whatever he wanted. His energy and panache is afforded a new guise, while his sense of comedy is not as simple to locate. His thirst for venturing into the deepest realms of conscience and the ambiguousness of the mind has been gathered and organized with gorgeously poetic and invigorating results. What exactly transpires in this story is left up to you to find out, but it is not about a theater director's play as much as it is a profound silhouette of Caden's existence, his tortures, his desires, and the crazy ways in which we view our time on Earth.

The 411: Synecdoche, New York is not your typical indie film. It will be raved about as a masterpiece in some circles, while others will dismiss it as confusing and self-important. Regardless of your opinion, Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut will most assuredly have you talking when you leave the theater. I happen to be one that loved it. I will admit it was not love at first sight, but then again, some movies do not unfold with that in mind. Just as some instances in life do not work that way. Kaufman's film is a mess, but intentionally so, and is a masterpiece at that with great acting. It is not a picture that will receive many, if any, big awards this season, but it is probably destined to leave its fate with age in hopes that more and more will take a chance through the years. This has gradually oepned wider from a limited release, and if you can see it in the theater, do so, but don't hesitate to remember when the DVD comes out either.

Final Score:  10.0   [ Virtually Perfect ]