i'm thinking of ending things

 


Name: i'm thinking of ending things

Directed By: Charlie Kaufman

Subgenre: Surreal, Psychological Thriller

Series: Spooktober 2020 entry #16; review #78

Review: Charlie Kaufman's i'm thinking of ending things follows a young woman who goes to have Thanksgiving dinner with her boyfriend, but the trip ends up going off the rails. Let me preface this by admitting that my reviews are pretty shit; I'm a bit of a smoothbrain so, when I say this movie is "artistic," you understand how to set your expectations. The film is labeled as a thriller/horror, at least on Netflix. I don't mean to be a Gatekeeping Gary here, but this film isn't horror--at least not in the traditional sense: the film drips with discomfort, especially as the plot plods (at a glacial pace) into its uncanny climax. The problem is, it's also boring as shit. Once you work your way through layers of uninspired pretense, you'll eventually find that you've wasted nearly 2.5 hours for a (quite literal) musical of a conclusion that's about as satisfying as reading a final placard saying: "it was a dream all along." The movie is an utterly unsatisfying slog through undergraduate psychology/philosophy circle-jerk material...but the acting was stellar and Toni Collette is always a treasure. So, it's not all bad. Now, before you accuse me of not understanding the film, I totally read like...3 different summaries, so I get it. Believe me, I get it. But in all seriousness, i'm thinking of ending things is an intriguing experience that is weighed down by its genre label and hefty run-time. Kaufman is an exceptional writer, but labeling this film as a "horror" film, even with the added "psychological" qualifier doesn't do it justice; Kaufman's material doesn't fit neatly into genre boxes, and that's especially true here. While the film is layered with symbolism and nuance, frankly speaking, most viewers just aren't that interested in seeing two people talking in the car for a good chunk of the film, even if the payoff led into traditionally spooky territory. i'm thinking of ending things has a decidedly disquieting atmosphere, it still doesn't work as a horror film; yet, even as "merely" a drama or mystery flick (with no condescension meant), it's still a slog to get through even when factoring in the incredible acting, the inspired direction, and uncanniness of it all. If you're going to watch it--and I do think it has more merit than the review might let on--watch it without expectations and experience the film purely for what it is.



Overall Score: 1.5 out of 5 Chads gathered around the dinner table. Did i'm thinking of ending things scare you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

IMDB: Here

How to Watch: i'm thinking of ending things is available on these platforms.


Official Trailer



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shevenge

Image
  Name :  Shevenge Directed   By :  Various--check the IMDB page linked below, as each of the segments in the anthology were directed by a different director. Subgenre : Anthology Series :  Spooktober 2019 entry #10; review #41 Review : Shevenge is an anthology of horror shorts entirely directed by women and centered around the central concept of women seeking out vengeance against those that have wronged them in some way--shevengeance, if you will. The film is broken up into 12ish stories (if we include the sign off from the mostly unnecessary Hostess character leading us through the various entries and segments) that are loosely tied into four over-arching themes: Kiss and Kill, Murderous Moms, Anger Management, and Love You to Pieces. After watching the similarly titled and themed Prevenge , I knew I had to check this one out. Now, that motivation was also spurred on by the fairly glaring reviews against the film that, frankly, come off as a notably misogyn...
Read more

Tigers Are Not Afraid

Image
  Name :  Tigers Are Not Afraid Directed   By : Issa López Subgenre : Foreign, Fantasy, Thriller Series :  Spooktober 2020 entry #20; review #82 Review : Let me start by saying that I love this movie. It's a multi-layered modern day ghost story / fairy tale fusion that's as uncompromising as it is creative. I absolutely want to gush about this movie, but doing so would rob each of you of a more pure, first-time experience with the film. Stop what you're doing and go watch it, then come back here, finish the review, and then leave me a comment. So, while my reviews tend already be fairly succinct, this review will be even shorter than usual. Hey, we've all got those days. But seriously, go watch it and then tell me how wrong (or right) I am. Tigers Are Not Afraid is a Mexican film about a young girl, who happens to be gifted with three wishes, as she joins with a group of kids who have all made orphans by the local cartel. Given the mix of dark whimsy and even bl...
Read more

Absentia -- Mike Flanagan's First Foray into Horror

Image
  Name :  Absentia Directed   By : Mike Flanagan   Subgenre : Creature Feature Thriller Series :  Spooktober 2021 entry #18; review #111 Review : Mike Flanagan is so hot right now. You may already know this from my review (or literally anyone else's, as there's no dearth of opinions floating around the internet) of Midnight Mass , or you may know Flanagan from his work on Doctor Sleep, Oculus, The Haunting of Hill House and/or Bly Manor ; either way, putting his name on a horror project is like printing money. And that's largely due to him proving how original and creative his visions are, so I wanted to go back and check on his first foray into the realm of horror: 2011's Absentia . Absentia is a good film, but it's not without it's flaws. After binging Midnight Mass before checking this one out, it's fun to see just how much Flanagan has grown as a writer and director. Originally funded via a Kickstarter campaign, Absentia follows Tricia as she tak...
Read more