By Mitch Ringenberg

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Charlie Kaufman is one of Hollywood’s truly unique talents. He’s written some of the most extraordinary films in recent years such as, “Being John Malkovich,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Adaptation.” His scripts have helped change the way people write movies and have made him become one of the most sought-after writers today.  His newest writing effort, “Synecdoche, New York,” is a film with massive scope and is quite possibly the most intelligent of Kaufman’s films.

“Synecdoche, New York” is Kaufman’s highly personal directorial debut and stands as one of his most creative writing efforts to date. Kaufman places the brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman in the lead role as well as a great ensemble of female cast members including Catherine Keener, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Emily Watson.  Hoffman is arguably one of the best actors working today and here he is given the role of a lifetime. For those who have seen “Adaptation” it is not difficult to realize that Hoffman’s character is essentially Kaufman himself. Kaufman projects his own insecurities into the character and sells it flawlessly to the big screen.

His character is Caden Cotard, a lonely theatre director living an empty life with his wife (Keener) and daughter. The film follows Cotard as he grows older, falls in love, falls out of love, searches for happiness and tries to direct a massive (he literally attempts to recreate New York) play. To explain what happens in this film is almost pointless. The viewer will undoubtedly interpret the events of this film in his or her own way.

“Synecdoche, New York” simply cannot be categorized. It is a film about life and how we wander through it trying to find our place until our time comes. Like life, the film has moments that are sad, funny, happy, confusing and loving. The film’s themes center around life, death, love, loneliness, sex, helplessness and family.

Coming out of this film, it took minutes for me to come to a conclusion on how I felt about it. The film is undoubtedly an excellent one, however, it is a film that requires a great deal of participation from the viewer. Its themes are so heavy that it takes a while to digest. This is a film will have a severe impact on many, while others who lose its message will leave the theatre in puzzlement. One should not go into this movie expecting to understand it completely, but should instead sit back and absorb its beautiful images and dialogue.

This film is an important one for Kaufman. Not only is it his first one in the director’s chair, but also it’s his most personal and revealing effort to date. While he may have better films (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Being John Malkovich”), one could not ask for a better directorial debut.

Charlie Kaufman shows immeasurable potential as a director with this film. After a debut this deep and ambitious, one can only wonder where he will go next.