‎Synecdoche, New York (2008) directed by Charlie Kaufman • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Synecdoche, New York

2008 Directed by Charlie Kaufman

A theater director struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse as part of his new play.

Philip Seymour Hoffman Samantha Morton Jennifer Jason Leigh Michelle Williams Catherine Keener Emily Watson Tom Noonan Sadie Goldstein Hope Davis Dianne Wiest Kristen Bush Alice Drummond Amy Wright Deirdre O'Connell Elizabeth Marvel Charles Techman Tom Greer Josh Pais Lynn Cohen Jerry Adler Daisy Tahan Frank Girardeau Peter Friedman Daniel London Robert Seay Stephen Adly Guirgis Joe Lisi Michael Medeiros Christopher Evan Welch Show All…

124 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Adam Cook ★★★★★ 33

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

**NOTE: This is less a review and more a rough analysis of the film so please do not read if you have yet to see the film.**

I think this will be Kaufman's Eyes Wide Shut in that it won't get the recognition it truly deserves for at least ten years. Synecdoche, New York is pure cinema. No other medium could possibly attempt to tell this story. It would be largely incomprehensible as a novel and too bogged down in detail to have any real emotional resonance. Whilst no theatre could do justice to the scale the story demands or unfold in such a unique time frame.

I appreciate that the film won’t be for everyone but I just fell…
Review by Arielrocks5 ★★★★★ 78

Charlie Kaufman is a man who understands the idea of the human existence in a way that won't be fully be able to accepted among the rest of the world because we all believe that the idea of life is that we just simply have to make the most of it for our own needs and sometimes the needs of others. When in actuality life is a giant stage for us to preform the pain, happiness, laughter, sadness, and pure angry towards our own existence.

And the audience is in the distant future, waiting for our stories to be finished only to then fade into the rest of the unknown entity that is death who is the director and stage…
Review by Lucy ★★★★★ 4

someone, eventually: why do u like this movie so much
me: i have depression
Review by DirkH ★★★★★ 31

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

This is Charlie Kaufman's crowning achievement. It is not only his best film to date, it is one of the best films I have ever seen.

I rarely come across films anymore that manage to ensnare me in a narrative so disjointed, yet so enthralling I cannot help but be absorbed by it wholly. This film stretches the medium to its limits in a non-obfuscating way that is refreshing, unique and despite the deep layers it possesses, accessible in so far that there is an appealing and universal truth at the surface of it all.

Creation is art is life.

Kaufman's story has to be a film. It was created purposefully for it and he understands the medium so well.…
Review by Evan ★★★★★ 5

Synecdoche, New York is a film that must be experienced by everyone. If you have yet to see this movie, I suggest you stop what you're doing and watch it now. Philip Seymour Hoffman truly was one of, if not the best actor of this generation. You're presence will forever be missed, RIP.
Review by YI JIAN ★★★★★ 24

Get busy living, or get busy dying.

Weeks lost in one cut, years lost between scenes, lives lost in a blink of an eye. Time is slipping through our fingers. You may mind your own problems, sort your own miseries as if they are the only thing in this world worthy of your attention. You may play pretend; pretend you are a fairy, or an actor, or an actor playing an actor playing an actor. Set a daily routine for yourself as a distraction from the fact that we are all hurtling towards death. Still, before you know it, reality will catch up with you. You will suddenly wake up on what soon to be your own deathbed and realize…

Recent reviews

Review by alchimia

I’ll follow Roger Ebert tip and I’ll watch it twice. Maybe thrice.
Review by Ryan Dell ★★★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Thats not where they were
Review by melancholia_ ★★★★★

Jesus fucking Christ this movie FUCKED me up
Review by Mia ★★★★

A friend got this for me for my birthday last month and I’m glad I watched it haha. I’m so confused but I adored it.
Review by Helena ★★★★

I love shit that makes no sense
Review by DrRandom ★★★

Der Film wollte mich in sein depressives Labyrinth locken, aber ich mochte nicht mitgehen.
Review by Eddie Bergman ★★★★★

I feel like no review of mine could ever do this masterpiece justice, so instead I thought I'd write down the poem heard on the radio at the beginning of the movie. It's probably the best way to actually describe Synecdoche, New York.

"Lord: it is time. The summer was immense.
Lay your shadow on the sundials,
and in the fields let the wind loose.

Bid the last fruits to be full;
give them two more southerly days,
urge them on to fulfillment and drive
the last sweetness into the heavy wine.

Whoever has no house will build none.
Whoever is alone will stay alone,
will wake, read, write long letters
and wander the alleys up and down
restlessly, when the leaves are blowing."
Review by noahkrommen ★★★★★ 4

This is one of the most sophisticated and well-woven scripts I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. This feels like a step up for Kaufman even above his other greats. The depth of its themes are astronomical and I can’t wait to watch this over and over again to uncover them.
Review by Josh Maxim ★★★★★

It is a shame we don’t have Hoffman anymore. I mean we have Joaquin Phoenix who is just as talented but goddammit, Phil was everything, and might always be.

If there is a perfect rainy day combination, Synecdoche New York and reading Death of a Salesman really might be the ultimate expression of nihillism and gloom on an apt day.

I truly love Kaufman and this film.