Synecdoche New York

"Synecdoche New York" is a wonderful movie. Its aesthetics and pacing set the scene for a virtually seamless investigation of timeless themes such as death and ageing, love and loss, and the futility of existence. The endless references (subtle and not so subtle) to these themes provide the viewer with opportunties to test their wits and implant their meaning deeper into the mind. Phillip Seymour Hoffman must have gum surgery = a difficulty in communicating; He must use an instantaneous translation device to speak to his dying daughter = an illustration of how parents and childern can grow apart and virtually speak different languages; the building of the giant set and endless rehearsals without ever actually performing = well, the futility of it all. I particularly liked the protrayal of love and the pain and joy it brings (emphasis on the pain). It all seems to be in there, from the distance that can manifest between two people, to the failure to capitalise on a chance at happiness, to inequalities in affection and a final surmounting of the barriers life presents to find real joy. I wouldn't be surprised if movies like this require an auteur at the helm (in this case, Andy Kauffman) to be brought into existence.