Surrealism in Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York

Abstract

The surrealist movement began in the early twentieth century, taking the post-war world by storm. Its emphasis on the subjectivity of individual experience has become a core element in modern culture, notably the film industry. Charlie Kaufman‘s Synecdoche, New York utilizes surreal themes to engage the audience with a dream-like sense of unease. Kaufman explores his own questions about life through the characters of the film, and invites the audience to attentively empathize with their tragedy. Distinguishing the film‘s surreal themes brings clarity to the movement of surrealism, the message of the movie, and if it succeeds, life itself.