Synecdoche, New York

Synecdoche, New York (2008)
Directed by: Charlie Kaufman
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%

So, being a student and fan of cinema, I try and vary what films I choose to watch. Sure, I have my genres, directors, actors, and producers that I like, but I never want to limit myself as far as experiences. This has led me to some really spectacular films, but also to some ones that I wish I could forget. Several years ago, I heard about Synecdoche, New York and was intrigued but I never got around to watching it until this afternoon. I will do my very best to keep this review and analysis concise. I say that because this film is incredibly dense, and, to its detriment, you an really feel it.

Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is directing a stage adaptation of Arthur Miller's Death of A Salesman. The stress of the work begins taking a toll on his health and his marriage. Adele (Catherine Keener) grows tired of Caden's lack of attention and decides to move to Berlin with their four year old daughter, Olive (Sadie Goldstein). Caden begins to experience strange physical ailments that hinder his everyday life. His face begins to break out with sycosis (inflammation of hair follicles), he is concussed when the water faucet knob shoots off and hits him in the forehead, his teeth begin to rot which leads to the need for gum surgery, and he loses the ability to produce saliva and tears. Despite these ailments, Caden goes on to gain recognition from the MacArthur Fellows Program which grants him a sizable sum of money so that he can pursue an original theatrical idea. Caden purchases a monstrous theater space in the heart of the Arts District in New York and uses it to assemble a life sized replica of the city in which it sits. He then casts actors to fill the roles of the people in Caden's life (which eventually includes himself). The film follows Caden's life work for twenty plus years and we see how he slowly withers away to nothing.

I don't know how I feel about this movie right now. I want to say I just didn't like it. It was long and it felt long, it was overly complex, the characters began to muddle in the background because of all the names being switched around, and it was deeply depressing. That's why I want to say I didn't like it...but I can't simply say that because it was so well done. The beginning of the film feels very different from the end. The start is filled with non sequiturs and bizarre dialog. For instance, there is a scene in which Adele and Caden are receiving couple's counseling. Their therapist, Madeline (Hope Davis), begins to pry into their destroyed marriage. Adele says "can I say something terrible?" to which Madeline replies "yes, please do". She says this with an unsettling eagerness. Adele reveals how she dreams of Caden dying which would allow her to start over again; guilt free. Madeline asks Caden if that feels terrible. Caden, genuinely taken back, says yes. Madeline responds with a happy "ok, good". When Caden begins to experience his many sicknesses, he sees a revolving cast of doctors; each one recommending another doctor and each one enjoying Caden's misery. This made me think that I was watching a Black Comedy which would have been fine with me. However, Synecdoche, New York is a definite drama. It's the kind of drama that will make you feel sad and empty (Requiem for A Dream) if you let it. In addition to the heavy feels, there are some complex motifs at play within the text of the film. Now, I will say that I had to research things a tad, because I wanted to make sure I was getting things right.

First, let's start with the name Synecdoche. When I first heard about this film I thought it was about Schenectady, New York. It's not. Well it takes place there but it's not about the actual city... Synecdoche is a figure of speech that is used when someone describes a whole entity or item by referring to a singular part of said entity or item. For example, somebody calling their car, "wheels", or saying "paper or plastic" when referring to bag types. The synecdoche occurring within the film is referring to the events that take place on stage substituting real life. The play becomes synonymous with Caden's life and are, thus, one and the same. Another interesting motif within the text is the use of the names Cotard and Capgras. The Cotard Delusion refers to the notion that one feels their body is in a constant state of decay. Caden's body is continually breaking down throughout the course of the film. His hair begins to thin and his skin starts to hang off his body. He also exhibits behaviors that can be related to a hypochondriac. It is hinted at that Caden may, in fact, already be dead, or dying, and what is taking place are his last thoughts. The other name, Capgras, refers to the Capgras Delusion. This is a familiar trope with conspiracy theorists. It states that the loved ones of a singular person are being replaced by look-alikes. These impostors are tasked with keeping tabs and spying on their target. The act of casting real people with other real people for the play is a perfect example of this. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Synecdoche, New York is its play on size and scale. As I mentioned above, Caden is building a replica of New York City within a huge warehouse. This replica is life-sized and should not fit inside this warehouse; but it does. Conversely, Adele becomes wildly successful in Berlin because of her highly detailed miniature paintings. We see Caden visit one of her exhibits. Everyone touring the space is wearing lighted magnifying glasses so they can see the paintings that are hung on the walls. Without the glasses, the paintings look like small dark boxes, but once you look through the lens you see how remarkable they truly are. The contrast between Caden's obsession with the hugeness of his sets and Adele's preference for minutia represent the forces that drove them apart.

No BS

Would I recommend Synecdoche, New York? If you are not a film person...no. Check out Being John Malkovich, or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Neither of those are directed by Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York is his only directing credit to date) but they were written by him and they are both fantastic. I think Synecdoche, New York is a great film to watch and study for film classes. It is such a dense text and I feel that professors could kill many birds with one two hour stone by showing it in class. Plus, towards the end of the film, Hoffman begins to look like Andy from Little Britain...




My Score: 6.5/10