Synecdoche, New York [2008] Movie Reviews on CinemaClock

We went to this movie with such high hopes: acclaimed actors headed by Philip Seymour Hoffman--how could it not be great!? And it was, for the first twenty minutes. Then the whole thing deteriorated. I am not sure why Hoffman agreed to take this on. It is about life and dying--great themes, true. But the symbolism, the dialogue, the action for the greater part of the movie did not hold together and it was agony watching the rest. We just wanted to leave but were glued to our seats, hoping for a redemption that never came. Each plot development after the first twenty minutes seemed like an afterthought--without the thought. A sense of bleakness pervaded the whole movie and with regard to the plot, randomness prevailed: existential angst. We were so disappointed. I Hope that someone else saw more in this movie as these are wonderful actors.