Movie Breakdown: I’m Thinking Of Ending Things
Pre-Screening Stance:
Charlie Kaufman is an immensely talented writer and director, but I simply never know what to expect from anything he’s involved in. Will I’m Thinking Of Ending Things land like Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind or thud like Synecdoche, New York? Who knows!
Post-Screening Ramble:
On paper, I’m Thinking Of Ending Things is such a simple movie – a man takes his new-ish girlfriend to meet his parents – but in reality it’s a heart-wrenching brain-bender. By the way, if this immediately has you wondering just how accessible the film is, I’ll tell you now that I would put it at maybe a 4/10 on the accessibility scale. The ramp to madness isn’t so fast that you’ll find yourself lost right away, but it’s steady enough to leave you behind if you take your eyes off the screen for a moment or two. On the flip side here, even though it’s not a particularly accessible film, I do think it’s a very relatable effort. There’s Jessie Buckley as “the young woman” who’s wrapped up in a relationship that is very quickly becoming something that she wants out of as soon as possible. She does try to keep things in a positive light, but the emotional rollercoaster that is her trip with Jake (Jesse Plemons) does nothing but further convince her that she should end things. As for Jake, even though the movie seems focused on his girlfriend’s rude awakening to the reality of their relationship, it’s really more about him and his reflection of how and when things went wrong. There are a lot of flashes to his current life, and the amount of regret and remorse on display is palpable. So, in other words, if you’ve ever felt the dread of being in a relationship you need to get out of and/or if you have one that you still feel sorry about, I’m Thinking Of Ending Things has you covered.
If you’re willing to give the very twisty and eccentric I’m Thinking Of Ending Things the attention it requires, it’s a worthwhile experience. Maybe don’t watch it fully sober though.
One Last Thought:
David Thewlis floats between being creepy, mentally ill, old, charming and so much more whenever he’s on the screen, and it’s pretty wild to watch.
