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But to say all that makes it sound like a bogglingly tedious Kaufman passion project. On the contrary: Synecdoche, while sprawling, messy, and sometimes even infuriating, is endowed with enough quirk, wit, and humanity to keep you fully pulled into Cotard's theater of the truly absurd. This is a rich cast, made up of most of today's best art-house screen talent, with a steady stream of brilliant actresses (Morton, Keen, Williams, Wiest, and many others) and Hoffman at the helm, who is indisputably one of the greatest actors of our time. And as we recognize in Cotard our own desires to go back and fix what went wrong, his struggle, waste, fears, and longings break our hearts.

At its core, Synecdoche, New York is a brilliant, gut-wrenching plunge into the painful work of facing the decisions we make and choosing to either continue onward, or live in regret. It's a powerful reminder that the choices we make each day matter—not just in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us. Those looking for some light entertainment to go along with their popcorn will likely come away frustrated, but those who are willing to take the plunge will find plenty to chew on for a long time.

>Talk About It

1. This film is all about attempting to re-seize the day, to capture time that has already passed for introspection and examination, with ludicrous consequences. Have you ever found yourself becoming overly analytical of your own life? What effect did that have on those around you?
2. What significance does Cotard's physical decline at the beginning of the movie—in autumn—have for the rest of the film?
3. What do 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 103:12 have to say about regretting the failures in our past?

The Family Corner

Synecdoche, New York is rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity. It includes pervasive bad language and a several scenes of female frontal nudity, including one in a seedy peep show. Cotard's slow physical decline includes some "gross-out" moments.

Photos © Copyright Sony Pictures Classics

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