Jesse Plemons Compared Making This Underrated Mystery Horror to "Psychological Torture"

Jesse Plemons delivers compelling performances in crime dramas, dark comedies, dystopian films, and horror movies. He has worked with renowned directors such as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Yorgos Lanthimos.

However, even for such an experienced actor, filming with Charlie Kaufman presented a unique challenge.

Jesse Plemons Recalled Making 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things', Saying It Had a "Strange Effect" on Him

In an interview ahead of the release of I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Plemons admitted that it was one of the most challenging film shoots of his career:

“We were shooting pretty much in a car every day. Thank God we shot that on a stage. I was pretty intimidated because we were shooting on average 11 pages a day, every day, on a stage, prop guys throwing snow.”

Plemons added:

“‘Psychological torture’ is too strong, but it did have a strange effect. The longest take is something like 16 minutes, I think? So, it was like ‘Action! See ya in a while!’ It changed acting for me in a way, I think.”

What Is 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things' About?

A young woman travels with her boyfriend, Jake, to visit his parents at their remote farm. As they travel, they discuss poetry, cinema, and Mussolini. Gradually, the viewer realizes that something is wrong.

The girl can't remember how long she's been dating Jake, whether it's been seven weeks or much longer, and she's haunted by obsessive thoughts of separation.

Upon arriving at the parents' house, a surreal nightmare begins. Jake's parents suddenly age before her eyes and change the subjects of the conversation. In Jake's room, she finds a childhood photo of herself.

'I'm Thinking of Ending Things' Is a Phantasmagoric Psychological Horror From the Creator of 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'

For decades, Charlie Kaufman, the screenwriter of Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, has accustomed audiences to his worlds defying the laws of physics and logic.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things is his third directorial effort and perhaps his most experimental work yet. Kaufman didn't just adapt Iain Reid's novel – he transformed it into a pure Kaufmanian statement about the fear of being human.

The movie demands engagement, a willingness to be uncomfortable, and an ability to embrace uncertainty. While it's not a traditional horror with jump scares and blood, the feeling of unease never lets up.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things'?

• I'm Thinking of Ending Things has 82% from critics and 50% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.5/10.

• On Letterboxd, I'm Thinking of Ending Things scored 3.5/5.0.

Where to Watch 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things'?

I'm Thinking of Ending Things is available to stream on Netflix.