If there’s anything to be expected of Oscar-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, it’s that his work is never what you anticipate. For those who have seen his popular screenplay Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2014), his brand of head-splitting storytelling no longer comes as a surprise. His most recent feature film I’m Thinking of Ending Things is no different.

Although the plot is lifted from Iain Reid’s 2016 novel of the same name, Kaufman adds his own flair to it—resulting in a dark, cerebral film that leaves viewers ruminating on the fragility and unreliability of human consciousness.

From the trailer, the Netflix release promises a fairly simple story: Lucy (Jessie Buckley) goes to meet her boyfriend Jake (Jesse Plemons)’s parents (Toni Collette and David Thewlis). She’s hesitant about their relationship, though, and is considering breaking up with Jake—hence the title of the film. However, the premise is not as simple as it seems. In a montage of eerie, unsettling scenes, Lucy grapples with her identity and her place in the reality she is in.

Viewers who aren’t as invested in the film—I’m looking at you, people who check their phones during the Netflix Party—may find themselves confused by the characters’ constantly changing dynamics and the movie’s unreliable narrator. Sometimes, though, even the most keen observers might find themselves stumped with moments that make it hard to distinguish which narratives to believe.

Another rather confusing element in the film would be the number of literary references the characters throw back and forth. The passing remarks on William Wordsworth’s poetry to Ralph Albert Blakelock’s paintings can seem highbrow and intimidating with how fast-paced the allusions are made. However, these references typically have enough context to reveal the characters’ underlying motives—making it a worthwhile endeavor to interpret. As the film goes on, the story does get more interesting—and absurd, if you ask me—goading you to piece things together and guess what’s really going on.

If there is something certain about the film other than its thought-provoking capacity, it would be how effectively unsettling it is as a psychological horror. Notable performances from the leads Buckley and Plemons, supported by equally stellar acting from Collette and Thewlis, helped elevate the surrealism from the script to the screen. The tension, uncertainty, and instability displayed by the actors translated well and allowed the film to hone in on themes such as doubt, regret, and yearning.

While I’m Thinking of Ending Things is more likely to leave viewers with a headache rather than enlightenment after the first time they see it, the film offers a dynamic perspective of human emotion and the murky psyche behind it. It may be a lot to wrap your mind around, but once you do, it holds a certain kind of genius in the most Kaufman-esque way possible.

Photo sourced from IMDb