Editor’s Note: The following contains references to suicide.
Only someone as cunning and subversive as Charlie Kaufman it would be possible to remove the adaptation Ian Reedsurreal horror novel I’m thinking about ending things. Charlie Kaufman is one of the most idiosyncratic storytellers working in Hollywood today. Kaufman has the ability to tell stories that are both egregiously stupid and deeply tragic. While Kaufman’s screenwriters are listed on fixture as well as Being John Malkovich were certainly strange, his solo directorial films like I’m thinking about ending things even more bizarre.
What is “I’m thinking about ending this”?
I’m thinking about ending things follows young man JakeJesse Plemons) and his girlfriend Lucy (Jessie Buckley) when they go on a trip to see his parents for Thanksgiving. Their conversations begin to seem painful as Lucy recites a disturbing poem about her feelings of depression. The evening gets even stranger when Jake’s motherToni Collette) and father (David Thewlis) begin to change forms and start rambling conversations. Simultaneously, shots are interspersed with an elderly janitor cleaning the school.
I’m thinking about ending things can be overwhelming in the early hours; there are clear references and allusions to “Beautiful Mind”, “Woman Under the Influence”, Oklahoma!, works William Wordsmithfilm criticism Polina Kel, and even “Baby, it’s cold outside.” However, the only piece of literature you really need to understand the film’s message is Reed’s original novel. While Reed’s novel is more forthright in its pivotal ending, interviews Kaufman and the film’s cast gave following its 2020 Netflix release suggest it’s not as clear.
What goes through Jake’s head during “I’m thinking about ending this”?
Bye I’m thinking about ending things told from Lucy’s point of view, she’s just an extension of Jake in the style of Tyler Durden. As Jake tells his parents, he thought about approaching a girl at a night out and asking her out. Although the real Jake never actually approached this young woman, the film is a continuation of the fantasy in which he did. Jake tries to imagine what his ideal life with this girl (whose name keeps changing because he can’t choose one) could look like; he’s not sure when he wants to introduce her to his parents, which explains why they keep changing ages.
To take it one step further, Jake is actually the same elderly janitor we see throughout the story. This older man is now reflecting on the mistakes of his youth as he reflects on the end of his life. Based on Jake’s painful conversations with his girlfriend, he appears to be contemplating suicide due to his depression. At the end of the film, Jake’s car disappears from the school parking lot, leaving only the janitor’s truck. We see a janitor’s truck covered in snow and eventually hear the sound of a car approaching and scraping the snow. This means that the janitor’s truck was left in the parking lot after he killed himself during Thanksgiving school holidays.
Is Lucy real?
While Reed’s novel makes it clear that “Lucy” does not exist, Kaufman took the gamble by giving her free rein. In an interview with individualwireKaufman revealed that “she’s a device, but I wanted her to be able to separate herself from it.” I’m thinking about ending things wonders if the fantasy can exist on its own, as Jake imagined the vast backstory of his idealized girlfriend. While she may be based on a girl he was too afraid to approach at quiz night, it’s possible that she is an amalgamation of the various women he’s been attracted to throughout his life (which would explain why her name keeps changing).
Kaufman also revealed that he “really liked the idea that even within the limits of his fantasy, he can’t get what he wants”. Because Jake is fickle and constantly changing his mind, there are sudden jumps in time and place. The conversations he has with his girlfriend are often cut short, as if Jake is arguing with himself. It is also possible that since these are the thoughts of an older person, he is not very good at his memory.
“I’m thinking about ending it” refers to other media
Literary, musical and cinematic allusions in I’m thinking about ending things can be explained by the scene in Jake’s bedroom; when he shows his nursery to his girlfriend, we catch a collection of films, poems, stories, and books, including a 1996 collection of essays by Pauline Kael. To Save: 30 Years in Film. Lucy begins to mimic some of Kael’s words and mannerisms, especially her infamous scathing remark about John Cassavettes’ woman under the influence. Jake also talks about David Foster Wallacean essay from the book “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again”, which reinforces the sense of doom since Wallace himself committed suicide in 2008.
It was also revealed from Jake’s conversations in the car that he was a fan of musicals. We see hints of what is probably one of his favorites as he stands in front of the stage and performs a rendition of “Lonely Home” from Oklahoma! This is the right choice; the song itself is about a man’s romantic pursuit, and the musical itself fits very regressive gender roles. Jake’s musical fantasy continues in a stunning fantasy dance number where a young janitor dances with a woman representing his girlfriend.
As for the animated talking pig, it looks like it’s related to the farmland Jake showed his girlfriend earlier in the movie; the memory of his childhood is now distorted and dying. The teenage girls who work at the ice cream parlor seem to cackle and whisper about Jake, suggesting that they are also an amalgamation of various cashiers that Jake has spoken to over the years.
Go to credits
The humorous transition to the credits after an elderly Jake stands in front of the crowd and accepts the Nobel Peace Prize is a replay of the final scene beautiful mind with John NashRussell Crowe). Looks like beautiful mindboth Jake and the audience are wearing the not-so-convincing effect of age-old make-up. beautiful mind often criticized for being a manipulative, cheesy Hollywood production that feels like “Oscar bait” that someone like Jake would probably enjoy. It’s also a film about schizophrenia where the protagonist imagines he’s interacting with people who aren’t there.
I’m thinking about ending things it’s a great movie to analyze, but it doesn’t just rely on its massive twist. This is a deeply tragic film that has sympathy for its protagonist, as well as showing the flaws in his thinking. As for surreal films about mental illness, I’m thinking about ending things straddles the line between nervousness and emotionality.
Source: Collider
