Samantha Morton and Philip Seymout Hoffman in Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut Synecdoche, New York (Revolver Entertainment)
Charlie Kaufman is one of America's best screenwriters and certainly the most inventive currently working in Hollywood. He has written scripts for Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind . Now Kaufman has decided to direct one of his own scripts, Synecdoche, New York (opening November 7 at Landmark's Hillcrest Cinemas). That choice may have been a mistake. Kaufman, who in the script for Adaptation focused on the agonies of a screenwriter attempting to adapt a novel, does tend to agonize over creative decisions and as both director and writer he agonizes too much. In addition, he has no one to try to balance him or play off him as he so successfully did working with Spike Jonze on Being John Malkovich. So Synecdoche, New York is an often frustrating mess yet at the same time there's an undeniable intelligence and pointed exploration of the creative process in the film. The central artists, a playwright played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, is so self-absorbed by his creative process that he almost forgets to live life.
Synecdoche, New York (rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity) is not for everyone but if you are a fan of Kaufman's you need to see the film because it is part of a body of work in which films play off of each other. Listen to discussion of the film from last month's Film Club of the Air.
Companion viewing: Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, The Truman Show
