An unmeasurable excellence amidst a pleasurable anxiety
Some movies get to you right from the word go, some even before that. ‘Synecdoche, New York’ is one such movie. If you ask me to explain the movie, I’ll terribly fail. But, the impact it leaves behind is terrific. It is not at all an easy movie to watch. If PTA pushes us into a certain form of depression, Charlie Kaufman, takes it to a level above. PTA is my personal favorite but Charlie Kaufman is someone who I hold high regards. And, the fact that there was Philip Seymour Hoffman, my favorite ever Hollywood actor there in the movie, one couldn’t really couldn’t find out whether it’s a PTA or a Charlie Kaufman movie.
Charlie Kaufman is such a household name when it comes to complex writings. His writings are meticulous and keeps us tense. Also interests and stimulates our intellect. That’s what differentiates his writing from the rest. He is so famous that the films that he had written, but directed by someone else, is still known as his film. Not many screenwriters have that much acknowledgment for their work. Not even Paul Schrader whose ‘Raging Bull’ story is widely known. In spite of it, it is still known as a Scorsese film.
Generally a Charlie Kaufman movie, even though sad, could be identified by a definitive wit, be it ‘Being John Malkovich’, ‘Adaptation’, ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, to name a few. Also all these movies are tense. Not stifling but tense, it keeps you hooked. That’s the beauty of it. Spike Jonze made it look so approachable and entertaining for the audience. That is why they both are a deadly combination. That’s why the first two movies in the list above are gems of cinema.
If Charlie Kaufman is a phenomenon, Philip Seymour Hoffman is another kind. The authenticity he lends to movies, especially PTA’s are unexplainable. And, the way he owns the film, even otherwise, like a ‘Capote’ is some work of art. For a film like ‘Syendoche, Newyork’ he is the perfect foil, as a dazed and confused individual who could not be guessed.
The beauty of the movie is its complexity. Not really a criteria for being great movie or something I appreciate of easily. If it is a meditatively complex movie like a Tarkvosky movie or a setting wise complex movie like a Nolan’s its different. He is a mix of both. There are a few Tarkvoskian moments as well as few Nolanisque moments and in addition to it, there are few trademark Charlie Kaufman moments too like the scene where Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman) cries after applying tear-inducing liquid in his eyes.
The film is complex not only in the story but also structurally, literally. There are certain set pieces where you cannot see the start and end. Certain set pieces where you cannot find which the sets are and which are sets within sets. This is what complexity is all about, not ‘Inception’, which is far more literal. Not complaining about it as its one of the best commercial thrillers but ‘Synecdoche, New York’ makes us think, even post the movie. Even though it’s a play which Caden directs. This could suit the film in film category. Until this point, ‘Day for Night’ was the best one in the category but ‘Synecdoche, New York’ outsmarts it.
It’s one of the movies, which scores right from the title. ‘Synecdoche’ is not a word, which people usually hear of, but its one apt title. Very few movies have a title, which truly explains about the movie. Explaining the synecdoche phenomenon is as tough as explaining the film and that’s the beauty of it. Whatever we try to interpret from the film goes round and round. I guess this movie would be great for film analysis and film studies. Dissecting the movie could be a dream for any film enthusiast.
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