Charlie Kaufman Strikes Gold Again
Trippy masterpiece "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" delivers an unforgettable and confusing experience
By Tyler Lilly
Trippy masterpiece "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" delivers an unforgettable and confusing experience
By Tyler Lilly
“I'm Thinking of Ending Things,” written and directed by Charlie Kaufman is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Though to give fair warning, it is a fairly bleak and existential movie that along with its odd story might turn people off.
The movie is set in Oklahoma during a bad snowstorm. The beginning depicts Jake and Lucy, a new couple, as they’re going on a rather long drive to have dinner with Jake's parents even though Lucy, the main character, doesn't feel like she will stay in the relationship for long afterwards. Things take a turn when they arrive, as Lucy receives strange phone calls and Jake's parents seem to change ages as she moves through the house. Things continue to get weirder, as when they drive back they somehow end up at a school where the movie reaches its climax. The movie's plot appears to be simple on the surface, but if you pick up all of the subtle and not-so-subtle clues throughout, a deeper, more complex parallel story is revealed.
The dialogue is nothing short of exceptional as it gives the movie this supreme awkwardness that works really well in the story. The writing works so well, that even a 20-minute driving scene that just depicts Jack and Lucy sitting and talking in a car is extremely enjoyable.
One of the best aspects of the film is the acting. The performances of Toni Collette, who plays Jake's mother, and David Thewlis, who plays Jake's father, give the dinner scene this incredibly uneasy atmosphere. Lucy, played by Jessie Buckley, also works as a great audience surrogate. Her confusion with what is going on is meant to be similar to what the audience is experiencing. She and Jesse Plemons, who plays Jake, have great chemistry and play off each other really well.
Like all other Charlie Kaufman movies, the film is a technical wonder. The fact that it is shot in the old 4:3 aspect ratio really adds to the tone, and gives the movie an uncomfortable closeness that works well with the theme. One of the shots I liked the most is part of the car ride scene at the start, as when Lucy is performing her poem, she looks directly into the camera. In a way she is speaking to the audience and breaking the fourth wall, but the tone is opposite than the usual use for comedic purposes, such as in movies like “Deadpool.”
The film’s composer, Jay Wadley, helps build an insane amount of suspense with his music. My favorite use of his work being the ballet scene, where the track pairs really well with the dancers’ elegant movements, making it probably my favorite scene in the movie.
My favorite part of the movie overall is it's incredibly dark tone, which focuses on getting old, and wasted opportunities and death, though these themes are somewhat subtle if you just take the story for face value. Kaufman really manages to make you think throughout the movie, not just about its confusing plot, but also about your own mortality, and I for one really enjoy this philosophical aspect. I would highly recommend that everyone should watch this movie, and for those who do to watch preferably more than once to get the full picture of what Kaufman is trying to say.
The movie is set in Oklahoma during a bad snowstorm. The beginning depicts Jake and Lucy, a new couple, as they’re going on a rather long drive to have dinner with Jake's parents even though Lucy, the main character, doesn't feel like she will stay in the relationship for long afterwards. Things take a turn when they arrive, as Lucy receives strange phone calls and Jake's parents seem to change ages as she moves through the house. Things continue to get weirder, as when they drive back they somehow end up at a school where the movie reaches its climax. The movie's plot appears to be simple on the surface, but if you pick up all of the subtle and not-so-subtle clues throughout, a deeper, more complex parallel story is revealed.
The dialogue is nothing short of exceptional as it gives the movie this supreme awkwardness that works really well in the story. The writing works so well, that even a 20-minute driving scene that just depicts Jack and Lucy sitting and talking in a car is extremely enjoyable.
One of the best aspects of the film is the acting. The performances of Toni Collette, who plays Jake's mother, and David Thewlis, who plays Jake's father, give the dinner scene this incredibly uneasy atmosphere. Lucy, played by Jessie Buckley, also works as a great audience surrogate. Her confusion with what is going on is meant to be similar to what the audience is experiencing. She and Jesse Plemons, who plays Jake, have great chemistry and play off each other really well.
Like all other Charlie Kaufman movies, the film is a technical wonder. The fact that it is shot in the old 4:3 aspect ratio really adds to the tone, and gives the movie an uncomfortable closeness that works well with the theme. One of the shots I liked the most is part of the car ride scene at the start, as when Lucy is performing her poem, she looks directly into the camera. In a way she is speaking to the audience and breaking the fourth wall, but the tone is opposite than the usual use for comedic purposes, such as in movies like “Deadpool.”
The film’s composer, Jay Wadley, helps build an insane amount of suspense with his music. My favorite use of his work being the ballet scene, where the track pairs really well with the dancers’ elegant movements, making it probably my favorite scene in the movie.
My favorite part of the movie overall is it's incredibly dark tone, which focuses on getting old, and wasted opportunities and death, though these themes are somewhat subtle if you just take the story for face value. Kaufman really manages to make you think throughout the movie, not just about its confusing plot, but also about your own mortality, and I for one really enjoy this philosophical aspect. I would highly recommend that everyone should watch this movie, and for those who do to watch preferably more than once to get the full picture of what Kaufman is trying to say.