Synecdoche, New York (2008)

Film

Meta takes3

Figures

Locations

The warehouse set, a full-scale replica of New York City.
The play's replica of New York, which eventually becomes the "real" location for the characters. → The Hyperreal Mirage

Form & technique

The play-within-a-play structure, which continually expands to include itself.
The narrative point of view, which is filtered entirely through Caden Cotard's consciousness. → The Unreliable Narrator
The film's non-linear and accelerated passage of time.

Tropes

Caden Cotard's obsessive drive to create his theatrical masterpiece. → The Phantom Object of Desire
Scenes where past and present, or reality and its re-enactment, coexist.
The viewer's cognitive and emotional experience of watching the film.
The process of casting actors to play real people within the film.
Caden being directed by Millicent through an earpiece in the final act.
The portrayal of the primary female characters: Adele, Hazel, and Claire.
The film as an example of a particular indie genre.