Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things on Netflix is exactly what audiences have come to expect from the filmmaker: a dense, surreal, and emotionally taxing narrative filled with philosophical musings and sudden tonal shifts. Adapted from Iain Reid’s novel, the film confounds viewers with its dreamlike sequences and abstract symbolism. Without prior knowledge of the book, many would be left bewildered by its ambiguous ending. Kaufman crafts an experience that feels more like an existential puzzle than a traditional movie, forcing the audience to question not only the story but also their own perception of it.
A Surreal Journey Through Memory, Identity, and the Disintegration of Reality and Self
The plot follows a young woman, played by Jessie Buckley, on a road trip with her boyfriend Jake, portrayed by Jesse Plemons, to meet his parents on their remote farm. What begins as an awkward, uncomfortable visit quickly descends into a surreal nightmare. Time collapses, characters age and become young again, and the protagonist’s name and profession constantly change. The seemingly straightforward drama transforms into a psychological maze, blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination. Kaufman’s script turns mundane interactions, such as a family dinner or a car ride, into metaphors for emotional and existential decay.
Jessie Buckley as Lucy (I’m Thinking of Ending Things/Netflix)The film grants near-constant access to the young woman’s internal thoughts, allowing the audience to experience her doubts about Jake and her growing desire to “end things.” Yet her identity remains fluid and unstable. The audience is gradually led to suspect that she might not exist at all or that her existence is tied to Jake’s deteriorating mental state. Her narration, which is articulate yet inconsistent, becomes a distraction from the truth. She is not the story’s anchor but rather a projection of another person’s consciousness, created to express his loneliness and regret.
A Haunting Exploration of Identity, Isolation, and the Fragile Boundaries Between Reality and Illusion
Intercut with the main narrative are cryptic scenes of an elderly janitor wandering through a high school. Eventually, the film reveals that the janitor is an older version of Jake. The young woman is a fantasy inspired by a woman he once saw but never spoke to, created to fill the emptiness of a lonely, unfulfilled life. Her shifting identity symbolizes his fractured psyche and emotional repression. As the fantasy collapses, Jake’s world dissolves into absurd imagery, including an animated pig and a bizarre musical sequence, culminating in his suicide. Kaufman leaves viewers trapped in Jake’s delusion, forcing them to confront the pain of isolation and self-deception.
Like Kaufman’s previous works, such as Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Anomalisa, I’m Thinking of Ending Things explores identity, loneliness, and the limits of self-perception. It poses an eternal question: what does it mean to exist when one’s inner world becomes indistinguishable from illusion? Although the film’s structure can feel alienating and opaque, its thematic depth is undeniable. While some may find Anomalisa or Kaufman’s earlier films more effective, I’m Thinking of Ending Things remains a bold and haunting meditation on the human condition. It is a film that demands, and perhaps punishes, a second viewing.
