In Charlie Kaufman‘s psychodrama, I’m thinking of ending things, the grounds are constantly moving; it keeps shifting until you no longer realize where you are or what world you are in at the moment. It zags right after you assume it’s gonna zig. And when you think that you have it all figured out, it will present you a new reality and an enigma that’s even harder to crack than the last one given to you. This may sound like a lot, yes, and even confusing, but that’s because it’s indeed a lot and confusing. It blends horror and drama, with a sharp bite of surreal humor and existential dread. But at the same time, it’s also none of those above. To put it simply, trying to categorize I’m thinking of ending things into one box would be an exercise in futility.
Like all of Kaufman‘s previous films, either the ones he only wrote or the ones he wrote and directed, I’m thinking of ending things will challenge you to think outside of the constraints of what a movie can accomplish. And while doing so, it confronts you with so many cerebral questions and/or dilemmas about life, perception and memory, loneliness, regret, and a lot more other stuff. On the wrong hand, all these big ideas may end up making the movie impenetrable, especially if it barely scratches the surface of what it’s trying to tell in the first place. But Kaufman‘s script and characters are not only layered with intellectuality, but they’re also grounded in emotions and reality. So even when things get pretty weird along the way — and trust me, it will get really weird, especially in the last 15 minutes — I’m thinking of ending things will always find a way to hook you in and never let go.
A Snowy Road Trip to Hell
Adapted from Iain Reid‘s psychological thriller book of the same name, I’m thinking of ending things centers its story around an unnamed young woman (Jessie Buckley) who reluctantly agrees to go on a snowy road trip with her boyfriend of seven weeks to meet his parents for the first time. The boyfriend’s name is Jake (Jesse Plemons), and he seems like a nice regular Joe who knows about things from art to philosophy, though the longer you spend more time with him the more you realize that he’s a bit of a snob. In a cliche attempt to show Jake’s pretentious side, Kaufman even gives this man an opportunity to mansplain David Foster Wallace and Wordsworth to his girlfriend.
The young woman, however, is not less intellectual than Jake; she knows about a lot herself. At one point, she and Jake get into an almost-heated discussion about Pauline Kael‘s review of the classic movie A Women Under the Influence, which in some way feels like a spiritual aunt to I’m thinking of ending things. Judging from how equally knowledgeable the couple is, it seems like things are okay between them on the surface. But of course, they’re not. In fact, we can sense that there’s something off about their relationship; that there’s an invisible gap between the two that just keeps getting wider and wider every second they’re together.
“I’m thinking of ending things,” the woman says inside her head, over and over again as if she’s already given up about the future of their relationship. Jake seems to realize what she’s thinking. Anytime the young woman contemplates breaking things up with Jake, he stares right at her to ask her whether she’s saying something or not like he knows what’s happening inside her head. It’s weird, yes, and at first, it looks like Jake’s reaction toward the thought inside his girlfriend’s head is only meant to heighten the strangeness of the movie, which is not wrong. But that’s not the only purpose.
Through what’s happening inside the car between Jake and the young woman, I’m thinking of ending things teases us about the idea of how the human mind and thoughts can inform our reality — a subject that not only is integral to the original source but one that the movie will also transcend and explore even deeper during its final 20 minutes. Though of course, in a classic Kaufman style, things get even stranger first, especially once the young woman and Jake arrive at the home of his parents (Toni Collette and David Thewlis) to have dinner with them. What first seems like a casual “meeting the boyfriends’ parents and having dinner together” kind of scene slowly morphs into something more disturbing and indescribable.
At this point, the concepts of time and space have been thrown aside, and what’s left looks like a mystery you can’t quite comprehend. One moment the woman is Lucy, the next one she is Lucia. One moment Jakes’ parents are a giddy middle-aged couple, the next one they are dying on their death-bed. What is actually happening? Who is this woman? Who keeps calling her phone? Is this real? Or just a fantasy happening inside someone’s head? And the question goes on and on. But instead of trying to come up with one big answer, or forcing us to interpret those questions in a literal fashion, I’m thinking of ending things keeps toying with its imagination and stimulate our minds to meditate on the multilayered subjects that Kaufman is presenting here.
It may be challenging to keep up with all the movie’s narrative shifts, but Kaufman‘s emotionally arresting script, along with all the powerhouse talents from the cast, is so remarkable that it manages to ground all the movie’s craziness in reality even when things get even more peculiar along the way. Collette and Thewlis both deliver hysteric yet heartbreaking performances as Jake’s parents. And as the man of the hour himself, Plemons, in a subtle yet powerful performance that will remind you of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, has never been better. But of course, I’m thinking of ending things is, without a doubt, a showcase for Buckley‘s talent. Teetering between cluelessness and regret, Buckley‘s performance feels like a kaleidoscope of human emotions. It’s rich and full of determination, but at the same time, it’s open and vulnerable. You absolutely love to see her!
When Perception Becomes Reality
While the last moment of the book version, which takes place in Jake’s old school, is drenched in paranoia and psychological fear, Kaufman‘s approach is more subdued. He trades the sense of terror with melancholy; a feeling filled with existential dread and sadness as if he wants you to know that things are about to end. Not just the movie or Jake and his girlfriend’s story, but everything: your life, your existence, your hope. It’s bleak and depressing, but this feeling of sorrow is what hammers home all the subjects that the movie has been exploring since the get-go.
At this point, I’m thinking of ending things is not just a movie about a relationship or the Kaufmanesque take on a road-trip romantic comedy anymore, but it evolves into a rumination on loneliness and one man’s regret. Kaufman actually has given us a hint throughout the movie by introducing a character of an old janitor (Guy Boyd) who works at Jake’s old high school, though it’s not until the very final moment that we know how this character is related to the young woman or Jake. But once we get to that point, our perception will, once again, gets shifted.
Through this janitor character, I’m thinking of ending things invites us to examine the link between thoughts, perception, and reality; how the two formers can influence the latter, whether we realize it or not, and how those three are tied into the same thread where our past experiences — trauma, pain, and all — exist. Kaufman predictably has done such a brilliant job of capturing that essence without ever once simplifying it. If anything, I’m thinking of ending things remains enigmatic until the final moment. And that’s for the better of it.
Conclusion: A Kaufmanesque Masterclass
Watching I’m thinking of ending things feels like going through a fever dream; and trying to solve the puzzle it presents is an even harder challenge. But that’s exactly what makes the experience all the more rewarding. It’s a masterclass of existential horror wrapped in an emotional enigma from one of the boldest filmmakers of our generation, and it’s one of the best movies of the year.
What is your interpretation of the ending? Let us know in the comments below!
I’m Thinking of Ending Things drops 4 September on Netflix.
Watch I’m Thinking of Ending Things
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.