A Film Review-Synecdoche, New York 2008 - Essay Example

22 May Film review: 6. This essay seeks to review the critically acclaimed film named “Synecdoche, New York” which was released in 2008 and directed by Charlie Kaufman. Watching this film made for a bewildering yet riveting experience for me. This film is distinguished in respect that it has a way of making people reflect on their lives which is a great experience. Following discussion will include my personal reflections on the film and those reflections will be rooted in myriad events portrayed in the film.

The film is about Caden Cotard’s obsession with realism and recreating a city. Cotard is a theatre director and he does not possess the typical admirable qualities of a movie hero or protagonist. Rather, his character is dark and difficult to admire. Kaufman has deliberately made his film riddled with intricate ideas and thoughts related to love, death, loss, and recreation. Strong messages are conveyed through different scenes. For example, in the final scene Cotard and Hazel lie in bed in the same house which is set on fire.

Actually, the fire is used to describe Hazel’s fate. The burning house is a bold sign of what is eventually going to happen to Hazel. It is not only related to Hazel, but it is an ominous sign of every character’s death. Earlier on when Hazel is contemplating the decision to buy the house, it is still burning. But, she still chooses to buy it which is the kind of action which translates into a person accepting fate. She puts aside her suspicions and buys a house that is not right for her.

Hazel’s burning house is used to portray sudden death, while the water leak in Caden’s house is used to describe slow damage. Caden is obsessed with death and vigorously attempts to resist damage, while Hazel accepts her fate and moves into a damaged house. Such themes used by Kaufman can also be interpreted in another way also assuming Hazel to be fire and Caden to be water. For example, there is a scene where Hazel smokes a cigarette and offers one to Caden too. However, Caden refuses to smoke with her because he secretly sees Hazel as fire which may set him on fire too.

So, he desperately attempts to stop this damage. In another scene after sex with Hazel, Cotard does not feel fulfilled and cries. This shows that Hazel is a warm part of Cotard’s life, but that warm part is actually a burning house inside which he is trapped and cannot escape. This is why after his sexual encounter with Hazel, he cries because he is ultimately afraid of death yet has no one to call for help. After sex with Hazel, he is stuck with the only choice to watch the house burn down and kill him with him locked inside it like Hazel.

There is a lot of intensity and gore in the film not to mention the grotesque experiences of the protagonist and other characters, all of which are dark and gloomy.