I’m Thinking of Ending Things – Review

Written by on September 28, 2020

When you hear that the next film from Charlie Kaufman is coming up, you know you’ll have to get ready and prepare for one heck of a ride. In case you don’t know who we’re talking about, Kaufman wrote the mind-blowing films Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Adaptation.

 

These are films where you shouldn’t even blink if you really want to understand what’s going on in there. I’m Thinking of Ending Things is his latest movie, where he adapts the novel by the same name and directs the film to get to your screen on Netflix. But is this adaptation another masterpiece from Kaufman, or will it just be another Netflix origins that’s soon to be forgotten? Well, we’ll talk about that with little-to-no spoilers, so let’s get started.

 

About the plot

 

A young woman and her new boyfriend go on a trip to his parent’s family farm so they can finally meet. However on the road where we get our first grasp at how tense the relationship between the two of them really is. And how the feeling of imminent break-up weights upon them.

 

As they arrive at the farm, an ice storm breaks in, and they are forced to remain there for the next few days or so. Things get more and more complicated, as the tension between the couple keeps on growing. And this is only made worse by the farm environment, where Jake’s (then boyfriend) parents’ strange behavior makes up for a disturbing experience.

 

 

A bone-chilling experience

 

To say things straight, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is not a comfortable movie to watch, but watching it more than once could be recommended. The feeling you get the first time you watch the movie is a completely different one you get the second or even third one.

 

This movie is a constant psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge. But don’t come in expecting a horror movie with a big ending or any final explosion of emotions.

 

It takes its time, and it really helps it a lot to do so, since it can build more and more discomfort in the audience. You, the spectator, will feel as if you are also trapped in there. It’s a surreal experience carefully crafted to make you as uncomfortable as they are in the movie.

 

 

Review: 8.8/10

 

What at first, may seem like a crazy febrile story taken directly out of David Lynch repertoire becomes something completely different. Kaufman delivers an excellent adaptation that’s just the basic story from which it’s based, yet delivers a similar idea.

 

The performance of Jessie Buckley (the young woman that goes by several names throughout the film) is incredible, definitely one of the best we’ve seen this year. It should come as no surprise to see her name many more times in the next awards season. But to be honest, you should really expect to hear a lot from this movie in that season too, or at least is what it deserves.

 

The direction and cinematography are top quality, and even the art direction is incredible here. As usual with Kaufman films, they are not for everybody, and some audience may find it too unsettling to like it. But there’s a genius that’s just undeniable in Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things.


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