Synecdoche, New York
Synecdoche, New York
7.569%71%
A theater director struggles with his work and the women in his life as he creates a life-size replica of New York City inside a warehouse as part of his new play.
Mike reviewedOctober 11, 2024
Synecdoche New York is a dauntingly depressing, but simultaneously fascinating, visualization of anxiety
There are nearly thirteen million people in the world. None of those people is an extra. They're all the leads of their own stories. They have to be given their due.
If i'm honest I don't even know where to start. During my viewing of this film I liked it, but it was after it finished that I realized how insanely good it was.
It's a very depressing film, which deeply touched me on an emotional level. I always thought people where exaggerating when they say that they keep staring at the screen after a film is finished... well, this happened to me after the final scene. The final monologue drags you into a depressive viewpoint of reality. A depressive viewpoint that I connected with on a conscious and subconscious level. One that is desired to be false, but speaks the truth. That last word in the final scene hit so hard that I was lost for words. To end the film with that word, in that scene, after all we've seen prior to that scene, has to be one of the best and most impactful endings I've ever experienced.
The cinematography is just as strong as the story and plot. The way they seemlessly shot and framed the surrealistic elements was really well done, which heavily contributed to the visual storytelling. The storytelling and visual storytelling were two completely seperate entities, but when combined became one beautiful manifestation of perfection. This is exactly the reason why Synecdoche New York has so much rewatch value.
The blocking of the characters, especially the main character, created an intimacy between the viewer and the main character Caden Cotard. A character that is masterfully played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Because we are so intimate with Caden, we also have a stronger connection with his emotions and the situation he is in. I even reflected my own emotions upon his situation, which is something I rarely do.
The score is an important element in films for me, because music is a language that speaks to the emotions... an aspect that is very important in this film. Luckily, the score in Synecdoche New York did not disappoint on that front. It was a very moving score that tells the viewer how Caden was feeling during that exact moment of his life.
After the powerful ending this film has grown on me a lot... and it is continuing to do so even more.
Letterboxd: Mike_v_E