RE: I want to be clear...

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Posted by sjb (A) on December 2, 2008 at 08:35:11

In Reply to: I want to be clear... posted by EBerlin on December 2, 2008 at 05:52:56:

"Given the degree of self-awareness and intelligence that prevails in Kaufmann's work I would seriously doubt that "We're all going to die--- yet, we still have to go on living" would have been written without irony. That is, he probably intended it as a line people would recognize as a cliche and intended an additional dimension of meaning. For example, he could have intended it as a comment on the superficiality of the character who said it."

There's no doubt the main character was full of self-loathing/self-absorption and that the film indulges that self loathing/absorption but it makes fun of it at the same time and is sensitive to the fact that while exaggerating that state it's touching on universal truths about being human and alive and is essentially a journey from self absorption to a kind of enlightenment.

I think out of the three films you mentioned it's most like Eternal Sunshine in that it's weird - in an almost science fiction kind of way - all the way through (as opposed to Malkovich and Adaptation where it veers off in the end to place that might take you out of the movie a bit) and it's easy to accept the strangeness as symbolism and the layers of complexity (which aren't all that complex) as the unwinding of a damaged mind (the character's, not CF's).

I think it was brilliant but not without flaws and I could see where someone could get turned off by the level of self loathing (it can uncomfortable) and not ever really get into the movie.

"The man is only half himself, the other half is his expression." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - "Synechdoche, New York," you'll love this film if listening - tinear 17:58:28 11/30/08 (13)

Given the published reviews I've read... - EBerlin 20:47:07 12/01/08 (12)

Yup. That was spot on. - sjb 02:31:57 12/02/08 (5)

I want to be clear... - EBerlin 05:52:56 12/02/08 (4)

RE: I want to be clear... - sjb 08:35:11 12/02/08 (0)

He never agrees with me :-( nt - tinear 07:46:13 12/02/08 (2)

That's not true. - sjb 08:36:31 12/02/08 (1)

LOL! nt - tinear 10:50:25 12/02/08 (0)

EB, you're quite wrong and need to see the film. It's one long--- - tinear 21:18:58 12/01/08 (5)

Well, I will see it (hopefully soon)... - EBerlin 21:25:34 12/01/08 (4)

Kaufman didn't direct the films you mentioned. I very much liked - tinear 07:47:52 12/02/08 (3)

I am aware that Synecdoche is his first directing effort... - EBerlin 07:55:30 12/02/08 (2)

He was deeply involved in the process of Malkovich and Adaptation all the way through. - sjb 08:43:49 12/02/08 (1)

The very worst moment came somewhere SPOILER - tinear 19:57:20 12/02/08 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: I want to be clear... - sjb 08:35:11 12/02/08 (0)

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