Full disclosure. I'm not a Kaufman fan. Despite how much cinemaphiles love Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Adaptation, and Being John Malkovich, none of those really spoke to me. However I am a big fan of Jessie Buckley in what I have seen her in so far and feel she is a new talent to watch. So I approached I'm Thinking of Ending Things with some trepidation and optimism. It started good and I prepared myself, but as it went along it started to fall into the same patterns that I usually find disappointing in Kaufman films.
The film does start off strong. The movie begins with a long and somewhat fascinating conversation between Plemons and Buckley as a couple that is on a long drive together but clearly struggling to connect as fully as they might want to. But as the movie progresses it starts to make the conversations feel less realistic, more problematic. It then introduces moments that show us what we're seeing isn't fully "real" or a representation of reality, perhaps explaining why the conversations lost their rational bent. All of that's fine. But as it gets weirder and weirder it starts to get boring. I like films that explore impressions of reality, and perhaps esoteric horror in a way, but the story needs to support this in a way that keeps it gripping and not just a series of off putting moments for off putting moments sake. The film struggles to keep us caring about what is going on.
When Buckley and Plemons are talking, discussing family, film, poetry, art, I would often get pulled into their conversations. I like the idea of them on a journey together literally and figuratively when it isn't clear they will make it or have the same goals. But when the movie tried to advance questions about reality, I would loose interest. I often find Kaufman's surrealism desperate and obvious and I'm Thinking of Ending Things falls into that trap. When he focuses on dialogues of a couple, one that might not be able to make it, it becomes more interesting again.
There was something truly fascinating about this couple on a journey, stopping in places where things don't make sense. I'm just not sure Kaufman offered anything interesting in that malaise. It's like the weirdness was supposed to be enough, instead of there being some method to the madness. In these moments I'd find myself wishing for the story to get back on track.
Plemons and Buckley are both strong. There is a bleakness to each of them, a sadness underlying a desire to push through their lives. As the talk I see them build the relationship underlying who they are. They are dealing with a lot, both playing their relationship exploring drama and the surreal horror trying to be built. They are a great paring here and their chemistry saves a lot of this for me.
And that is my biggest disappointment with I'm Thinking of Ending Things. The story of the couple in dialogue as their relationship ends is an interesting one, one that often gripped me. But the surreal elements took me out of it, didn't add anything of value to my understanding of the narrative, and slowed down the momentum of the story. I wish he had more restraint in telling this story, this story of the tenuous connections between people. Instead he gets distracted by his trips and the film ends with a dance routine, sudden animation, and a time jump which all felt unearned and unsatisfying.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things
Starring: Jesse Plemons, Jessie Buckley, Toni Collette, David Thewlis, Guy Boyd, Oliver Platt
Writer/Director: Charlie Kaufman
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