I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things: Behind the Scenes of a Mind-Bending Adaptation

Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020) is a psychological puzzle wrapped in a road trip, leaving audiences and critics divided. The Netflix film, adapted from Iain Reid’s 2016 novel, stars Jesse Plemons and Jessie Buckley as a couple navigating a tense visit to his parents’ farm—though nothing is quite as it seems. latestnetflix.com's view is that Behind the camera, Kaufman’s signature surrealism collided with the realities of filming during a pandemic, creating a production as enigmatic as the story itself.

From Page to Screen: Kaufman’s Vision

Kaufman, known for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synecdoche, New York, took creative liberties with Reid’s novel, expanding its existential dread into a full-blown cinematic experience. In interviews, Plemons and Buckley revealed that Kaufman’s script was a dense, philosophical labyrinth, requiring intense preparation. Buckley described the process as "emotionally exhausting," while Plemons admitted the film’s ambiguity made it a challenge to perform . Kaufman himself has been tight-lipped about the film’s meaning, preferring to let audiences interpret it—though he’s hinted that the story’s core revolves around regret, identity, and the passage of time .

The adaptation diverges significantly from the novel, particularly in its surreal third act. While Reid’s book leans into psychological horror, Kaufman’s version blurs reality with dreamlike sequences, including a bizarre high school janitor subplot and a climactic dance number. Fans of the novel have debated whether these changes enhance or dilute the original’s tension, but Kaufman’s defenders argue the film’s visual and thematic layers justify the departure .

Pandemic Production: A Film Born in Isolation

Filming wrapped just before COVID-19 shut down productions worldwide, but the pandemic still cast a shadow over the project. In a Q&A, Kaufman and Plemons revealed that the crew worked under strict safety protocols, with limited on-set interactions to minimize risk . The film’s eerie, isolated setting—a snowbound farmhouse and empty highways—mirrored the real-world atmosphere of 2020, adding an unintended layer of dread.

Buckley, who had just finished filming Fargo when she joined the project, recalled the emotional toll of Kaufman’s direction. "Charlie doesn’t give you a lot of answers," she said in an interview. "He wants you to sit in the uncertainty" . Plemons echoed this, noting that Kaufman encouraged improvisation within the script’s rigid structure, allowing the actors to explore their characters’ fractured psyches .

Reception: Love It or Leave It

Upon its Netflix release, I’m Thinking of Ending Things polarized critics. Some praised its ambition and performances, particularly Buckley’s tour-de-force portrayal of a woman unraveling under existential pressure . Others found it pretentious or frustratingly opaque, with The Guardian calling it "a film that thinks it’s smarter than its audience" . The movie’s 6.2/10 rating on SensCritique reflects this divide, though its cult following has grown as viewers dissect its hidden details .

One undeniable takeaway? The chemistry between Plemons and Buckley. The pair’s real-life ease with each other translated into a relationship that feels achingly real, even as the film spirals into surrealism. In a behind-the-scenes clip, Buckley joked that Plemons’ ability to stay in character—even during mundane moments—was both impressive and slightly unsettling .

The Kaufman Effect: Why This Film Haunts Us

Kaufman’s films have always thrived on ambiguity, and I’m Thinking of Ending Things is no exception. Whether it’s a meditation on loneliness, a metaphor for artistic stagnation, or simply a horror story about the fear of growing old, the film refuses to provide easy answers. In a rare moment of clarity, Kaufman admitted during a Q&A that the story is, at its heart, about "the terror of being alive" .

For fans of Kaufman’s work, that’s more than enough. For everyone else, it’s a film that lingers—like a half-remembered dream.