I’m Thinking of Ending Things

[csage97]

Indeed, or there could be an early onset so there are doubts in the fabric of his memory. It could be the case that he is totally making up the hypothetical partner part (Buckley), but misremembering aspects of himself and his life (parents, interests, home). But this is kind of extrapolating without further evidence, to me. But it is possible to make a case. I'm working from the standpoint that his memory is fine, however, and the real crux of his pain is missed opportunity, missed potential, a stunted life, a life not realized, a life passing by and coming to a point where renewal is not possible. To me, this is part and parcel of his depression, which possibly influenced and stunted the course of his life, or if not, it's most definitely present in the "current" events of the film and integral to the suicidal ideation.

From what I remember of the Kael part, Jake was praising Cassavetes, and Buckley took on the character of Kael, a review he remembered that challenged his view. Another instance and exemplification of the very self-doubt that contributed to his hesitation in pursuing his interests and opportunities. This is what I remember from that part and how I interpret it, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

[jenkins]

yeah i guess the topic of dementia is more arresting to me than sad man alone, because dementia covers the grounds of sadness and more. it addresses certain lapses in storytelling logic, which may be explained for in another way, such as through normal memory loss, but that's what i'm saying, i'm saying the specificity of dementia allows for the introduction of abnormal materials that shake up what's otherwise a relatively straightforward plot that lacks all that unseen and oh well stuff previously mentioned. it's true that dementia both makes the coherent chaotic and the surreal tangible, which is cool from a conceptual narrative perspective

but i'll skip mentioning dementia in friendly conversations if it's not a perspective supported by the movie

[Jeremy Blackman]

(continued spoilers)

Dementia is absolutely central to the movie. Personally though I think the janitor himself is pretty lucid till the end. I view the surreal shifts not as symptoms of dementia, but effects of his fleeting musings, influenced by his ever-changing preferences and interests, his restless mind, and in no small part his undeveloped talents and creative failures. (The bad paintings shamefully hidden in the basement are one example.) He's someone who's moved from one thing to another and never found success.

I would guess that he's haunted by seeing his parents experience dementia, and perhaps he wants to "end things" before it happens to him. (Which I guess means he probably has enough symptoms to know it's coming.)

[jenkins]

i see i see. it's all snapping into place and you know it is a whole thing

[jenkins]

after seeing it and discussing it and after time passed and upon careful consideration i'd rate it a 2/5

[Alexandro]

My hopes were perhaps too high since I'm reading Antkind and even though is pure Kauffman, and despair and sadness and confusion show themselves in every page, is also often hilarious. As in laughing out loud, non stop smiling hilarious. So for some reason I expected a similar vibe here, but apart from the Robert Zemeckis joke, most of the scenes are just dull.

I remember seeing Synechdoque NY back in 09 and not liking it yet deciding right there that I should see it a second time, which I did in the moment. That immediate second viewing made me feel it was a masterpiece. But I have never returned to it. Or Anomalisa (¨which I liked). I'll give it a second watch, maybe tonight, but damn, this guy really loves to test the audience's patience.

I'm reading Antkind too right now (about 125 pages in) as I've been on a kind of Kaufman kick lately and also needed something to read. Oh boy am I glad I picked it up. It is indeed monstrously funny and I've caught myself grinning like an idiot and laughing out loud many times so far. And the story moves along too, which is to say the pacing is good, yet it has a level of length in the stream of consciousness and spoken ramblings of the protagonist, which becomes a joke in itself. I was giddy at the early mention of Christopher Nolan (you'll know what I'm talking about if you've read it) and the references kept coming in thereon.

Anyway, Synecdoche is one that I'm still baffled by and hasn't added up to much for me in the way that I'm Thinking of Ending Things came together and made sense. I'm still probably missing something with Synecdoche and none of the interpretations of it I've read have really satisfied me.

Well, i haven't come around to watch it again, so there's that. But Antkind is massively enjoyable if you can get into its vibe. The only thing I can compare it to is perhaps Gravity's Rainbow (never getting to that level of density, though). Humor is the perfect balsam for Kauffman's preoccupations.

[jenkins]

i think it reminds you of that novel more than it's like that novel

here's the nytimes review for a cultural framing for those not reading it already. i did think you'd all flock to it so it's very on brand