Synecdoche - a figure of speech in which a part is made to present the whole or vice versa, as in England lost in six wickets (meaning `the English cricket team`)
-Oxford English Dictionary
Could Charlie Kaufman's use of this word and its definition have anything to do with the interpretation of his directorial debut, Synecdoche, New York? It could, but it probably doesn't, so let's not worry ourselves too much about the word and its meaning, but about the film and its purpose. Synecdoche is a film deeply dependent on the emotions of the characters and less so on the film's narrative. Kaufman ignores an eventful plot and instead tries to focus more on the emotional reactions of his character's and where these emotions lead them. these emotions are incredibly universal and Kaufman focuses on things that cause anyone to feel and sense of emotion. the motions are almost palpable due to Kaufman's use of certain motifs. To create a film of such emotional strength, Kaufman manipulates our sense of time and puts great emphasis on death and human relationships and their importance in our lives, all while keeping a consistently comical atmosphere. Overall, this film is a film solely based on levels of human emotions and therefore cannot be properly described through criticism, but how does Kaufman make Synecdoche one of the most emotional, original and one of the best experiences I've had this year at the cinema?
To be blunt, plot is of no interest to me when discussing this film. However, I'll provide a short synopsis of the film's general narrative. Caden Cotard, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, is a somewhat successful playwright. Caden, after a weird accident involving a sink, soon becomes a hypochondriac and begins to become obsessed with death. The symptoms seem to increase for Caden when his wife, Adele (Catherine Keener), leaves with their daughter, Olive (Sadie Goldstein). Caden is then shockingly awarded the MacArthur genius grant and begins a stage production that will explore life and the 'real' to their full extent. The production soon takes on humongous proportions as Caden becomes increasingly obsessed with the project.
Kaufman really makes a strong effort in manipulating Caden's and, in doing so, the audience's sense of time. time seems to slip by incredibly fast in this film causing anxiety and feeling of lost time and opportunity. Kaufman really emphasises time in the opening scene, which proves the significance of time in Kaufman's film. The first shot of the film is of an alarm clock buzzing and saying 7:45. Soon Caden begins to read a newspaper at the breakfast table and begins to read the obituary column, announcing every famous death to his wife. We then get a glimpse of the newspaper saying November 5, 2005. Kaufman makes sure that we know what time the film is set in so that we have a sort of reference point. After breakfast, Caden is hit in the head with a faucet tap that explodes off the sink while he's brushing his teeth. This can be regarded as the ignition point of the film because it's from this point onwards that Caden's senses, including his sense of time, begin to fade and the film's structure begins to get just as disorientating as Caden's view of the world. An early example of time being manipulated to create this disorientating feeling is when Caden visits an ophthalmologist who was recommended by the doctor in the emergency room when Caden received stitches for his forehead after the faucet incident. The scene involving the eye specialist is shown a few scenes after the emergency visit. We can see in the background a calender saying March 2006, meaning six months have passed since the accident. Also, Caden makes a weird comment during his appointment, thanking the doctor for allowing him to come at such short notice. Due to the little amount of time that has passed and Caden's comment, disorientation sets in, creating, for myself, a very anxious feeling. The exploration of the relationship between the characters and the time factor truly amplifies the emotions of the film because time is truly the driving force behind many of the character's decision in the film, whether they be good or bad.
It's Kaufman's exploration of human relations and death that offer Synecdoche's most sorrowful and hilarious moments. There are several moments where death and comedy are mixed together. one outstanding moment is when Hazel (Samantha Morton) decides to buy a burning house. Hazel enters the house and a real estate agent is giving her the pitch. Though Hazel has always dreamed of owning and this one was perfect for such a cheap price, due to the fire, she still worried about the fire and it possibly having an effect on how she dies. Hazel still buys the house which we see when she invites Caden over. The metaphor to be found in Hazel's burning house can vary, but one thing is for sure, it's absolutely ridiculous and hilarious. Human relationship are also often looked at in a very comedic manner while always recognizing its seriousness and negative effect it could have on a the character. In one scene, Caden discovers where his ex-wife is living. In hope of finding Adele and his daughter, Caden tracks down the apartment and is met by an old man an woman waiting by Adele's apartment door. They ask whether or not Caden was the cleaning lady. Caden replies yes and the old woman explains that Adele left the key for the cleaning lady. Caden takes the key and goes inside. After reveling in the environment of the woman he still loves, Caden begins to clean Adele's apartment with incredibly vigour. After his night of maidenly work, Caden continues to return to the apartment, both cleaning and trying to grasp on to something that could fulfill his need for Adele, while acting as Adele's cleaning lady.
Synecdoche is truly a film that must be experience first-hand. the emotions flowing through you as you watch the film are memorable. It's quite hard to forget your experience with this film. It truly latches on to you and never let's go. the techniques and imagery used by Kaufman in this film are mesmerizing and thought provoking. Kaufman wanted to create a piece of work that would influence conversation and he certainly succeeded because Synecdoche presents a story and several situations that aren't incredibly different from many people's lives.
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