Written by Gaby Martinez, Illustration by Mackenzie Arnold
Most people would think this is a film about a woman in a relationship who is visiting her boyfriend’s parents and is thinking of ending their relationship. Anyone who is assuming that, think again. Charlie Kaufman’s “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” is a complete enigma that will take hours to figure out.
The story begins with a woman named Lucy (Jessie Buckley), and her boyfriend, Jake (Jesse Plemons), taking a trip to his parents’ house, which sounds simple enough. But on the way there, they discuss various things which show that they seem to lack any chemistry or genuine interest in one another.
When they arrive at his parents’ house, Lucy immediately feels a sense of discomfort. She meets his mother (Toni Collette) and father (David Thewlis), who are unnaturally and excessively aged. Inexplicably, in the next scene they are in the kitchen having dinner with his parents appearing startlingly younger. The plot continues with revelations that disorient the viewer.
Charlie Kaufman, the writer and director behind “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” has a history of writing stories that mislead the crowd as the plot unfurls. His credits include “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Being John Malkovich,” both artistic, often confusing, hits.
Throughout his career, Kaufman has left audiences in awe of his ability to commit to film such ominous yet complex stories, and this film is no different. Despite “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” being an adaptation of a novel by the same name, Kaufman’s storytelling senses are at the same high standard as always. Here, the use of continuously tight framing throughout the film’s duration compounds the uneasy writing even further. It delivers a profound feeling to the viewer.
Cinematographer Łukasz Żal uses dark colors such as greys and blues, and a vignette to intensify each scene’s mood. The color tone alters to distinguish the difference between his fantasies versus reality.
Both Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons’s performances enhance their portrayal of two deeply layered characters, both greatly flawed and slowly unraveling throughout the story. Toni Collette, with her capacity to perform more than one type of character in a project, turns in a stunning performance throughout her scenes. “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” is an intentionally complicated film, but in the end, its fraught plotlines converge into a story about how we as humans are easily influenced by society.
