Through odd time gaps and subtle detail changes, I’m Thinking of Ending Things gives the feeling of being lost in an eerie dream. This ambience, this woozy feeling of surreal events, immediately draws the viewer in to find out if this will be a dream or a nightmare. Not many screenwriters can pull off such a story, but Charlie Kaufman always manages somehow.

From I'm Thinking of Ending Things Facebook page

I’m Thinking of Ending Things, based on a book by Iain Reid, follows Lucy’s (Jessie Buckley, Chernobyl) trip to meet her boyfriend’s, Jake’s (Jesse Plemons, Breaking Bad), parents. Snippets of her thoughts can be heard, where she repeats the phrase, “I’m thinking of ending things,'' multiple times. This sort of inner monologue or stream of consciousness marks many of Kaufman’s best works, works that straddle a line between outer life and inner life. The auteur of films such as Being John Malkovich (which literally happens inside the actor’s head), Adaptation (where a screenwriter realizes he is writing his own life - oh, and the screenwriter happens to be Kaufman), and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has returned after a hiatus with an absurdity totally fitting our current apocalyptic age.

It does not take long to realize that something is slightly off at Jake's house. The parents, the dog, and the layout of the house cannot seem to stay ‘normal’. Throughout the film, Lucy continues to repeat how she must get home for the night, but nobody listens to her, almost as if her voice makes no sound. Instead, they insist on making up a bed for her and Jake and she begins to feel trapped in the four walls of the home. The storyline feels intentionally jumbled, though everything seems to be timed perfectly and right on cue. Lucy is noticeably disturbed by the confusion going on around her, yet she unknowingly adds to it. It is up to the viewer to decide where the sanity lies within the film if there is any at all.

One aspect of the film that is fairly interesting is the characters and their actors. David Thelewis (who some may recognize as Professor Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter series) portrays Jake’s oddly charming father. His character’s outspoken personality and facial expressions bring humor to the film that lightens the dark mood. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about Jake’s mother, played by Toni Collette, who has some experience playing unhinged mothers from the chilling tour de force in Hereditary. While her character’s slow breakdown brings some important aspects to light, it goes over the top. One of the more important characteristics of the character is the fact that she is slowly losing her sanity, fading away into a person she never was, but this is overdone. Perhaps, if Collette brought a little more subtlety to the change of her character, she could have impacted the film more.

With the ever-changing storyline, the movie can get a little confusing, and some may shy away from that. If you are looking for an easy watch for a Friday night, this may not be the choice, but this confusion can also make the movie extremely enjoyable. Each scene will have you in deep thought, looking for clues, and searching for complex ideas hidden behind the director’s choices. After one watch, many details may be missed by the audience and may require a second, third, or fourth viewing (and perhaps even friends) to find. The cinematic Easter egg hunt, typical of Kaufman, will trigger synapses in viewers up for the hunt.

The final thing about this movie worth discussing is exactly that: the final scene. Without giving too much away, it’s beneficial to know that the ending is difficult to understand. Even after a second viewing, and understanding a little more about the movie’s dynamics, it can still be difficult to process the significance of the ending. Though the conclusion leaves questions unanswered, perhaps the subjectivity is what makes it significant.

I’m Thinking of Ending Things goes beyond plot to ask questions in need of answers for the viewer. Not only is the film a great watch at face value, but looking deeper into the details of the story will give viewers’ brains a workout. It gets your anxiety going, but that’s exactly why your eyes stay glued to the screen. For those who love to have something to ponder, this movie is for you! It brings many great ideas that may have been left unconsidered. I’m Thinking of Ending Things is not a ‘normal’ movie, and that’s exactly why it should be on everyone’s watch list.

Grade: B+

By Ashlyn Grota

Oshkosh West Index Volume 117 Issue I

October 2nd, 2020

Existential, cinematic journey provides metaphysical Ending