“I’m Thinking of Ending Things” Review: The most confusing movie I’ve ever seen, for better or for worse.
By Quinn Marcus
(2020)
Age: 13+
77/100: Sweet
I’m Thinking of Ending Things was written and directed by Charlie Kaufman and is based upon the book by Iain Reid. There is a plot in this film, that’s for sure. Plus, it’s a movie, all of this I am certain of. However, trying to explain it might just take all the brainpower I have left, so I’ll do so as simply as possible. A young woman (without a name for...reasons) decides to meet her boyfriend’s parents after dating for six weeks. So they go on a very long road trip, arrive, and some weird stuff happens. That’s the best way I can explain this plot without spoiling anything. The truth is, I was debating whether or not I would do this review, afraid that I wouldn’t understand what I was writing. So, I had to rely on my older brother, Keaton to use his Wikipedia knowledge to decipher the film for me. My expectations were pretty high when Keaton told me that it was the “best film of the year,” after watching it himself. Honestly, it was a bit of a letdown in the end. It’s certainly not a film you like or dislike, it’s a film to be fascinated by. All I can say is, Kaufman is an interesting guy, who knows how to craft a film with style. If this review convinces you to watch it, be warned, abandon all theories ye who shall enter here. Seriously though, if you think this movie is going to go a certain way, it’s not. Just like that moment when you think you’re about to drink a sip of water, but then the taste in your mouth just happens to be ketchup. Anyways, what were my flaws?
The length. About 20 minutes before the movie ended, my dad asked: “Is this thing done yet?” I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a very long film, ‘but Quinn, it’s a drama, all dramas are pretty lengthy.’ In many cases, this may be true, but the movie gets you so lost, that it becomes harder for the viewer to stay invested the entire time. I’m not saying that it’s necessarily a boring movie, I found it (mostly) entertaining, just difficult to latch onto. The story. I know many people who have watched this movie are going to slam their cups on the table when reading this, but first, hear me out. The plot of this film takes you in so many different directions, that it becomes a mental rollercoaster. It shakes you left and right, attempting to keep the intrigue going, but it doesn’t fully work. I found the first 30 minutes of the film to be extremely interesting, the middle to be very shaky, and the end to have almost jumped the shark. To be fair, I haven’t read the book, so maybe it’s supposed to be like this, but translating those ideas into movie form came out strange and abnormal for me. It presented a handful of fascinating concepts, but how they were woven together didn’t work all the time. Furthermore, the tone of the film is very depressing and unhappy. There’s not a single moment of joy besides one dance sequence towards the end. The film couldn’t seem to find the beauty within its elements, just the sadness.
When I look in my inbox tomorrow, I know I’m going to get some hate mail for disliking a couple of things about this movie, but maybe explaining what I liked can redeem myself. The cinematography. Watching this film with our projector proved to be a beautiful experience. The aspect ratio I surprisingly really enjoyed and got used to, and the camerawork made me drool. Well, not actually, physically drool but, you get the picture. Lukasz Zai provided compelling imagery that’s meant to be taken seriously. Every single shot was a piece of art, handled with grace and skillful prowess. The script. Both car scenes may have been long, but man did they produce some incredible dialogue. Especially the “young woman’s” poetic monologue about coming home. Each character was unique and added to the bone-chilling atmosphere, mainly Jake’s parents, they may be the creepiest parents I have ever seen on screen. The soundtrack. Both relaxing and pleasantly mellow to hear, I’m Thinking of Ending Things gave us a distinct, harmonious score that both increased the tension, and gently let the audience ease out of it. The directing. After seeing the work Kaufman put into making this utterly insane, mind-bending drama, I can’t wait to see the rest of his filmography. His crazy ideas are brought to the screen with such elegance and passion. Leaving us all with but one question to ask, ‘Kaufman, what goes on inside that brilliant head of yours.’ Oh, and also ‘what was with the naked old man and the talking pig?’ You’ll understand when you see the movie.
The cast including Jesse Plemons (Game Night), Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose), Toni Colette (The Sixth Sense), and David Thewlis (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) all hit it out of the ballpark each providing standout performances. Buckley is an actor I’ve admired for a while now, and this time around, he did not disappoint. Both him and Plemons provided exceptionally powerful performances while boasting impressive chemistry with each other. Not to mention the horrifying relationship that their characters have which was brought to life with undeniable talent. Colette and Thewlis are both a whole other story. Each giving hilarious yet intense performances throughout. A good example would be possibly my favorite scene of the movie when the family has dinner. It was like an awkward, psycho Meet The Parents type scene that was hysterical to watch.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things doesn’t have anything terrible in it, it’s just the frightening tone, and confusing story that keeps it mostly out of reach of tweens. There are some sexual references, an old man strips naked, not a lot of violence. There is a lot of language, uses of fu-k, shi-t, and bullsh-t. Some disturbing imagery and themes. Overall, don’t walk into this film looking for a happy, fun time. Teens should prepare for an intellectual ride that sure will test your mind.