In the heat-death of their togetherness; bored and disgusted, each submits to a disreputable clinical procedure in which the whole relationship is expunged from their memory banks. It works, but somehow as freshly minted strangers, they meet again; they are drawn to each other; they begin to fall in love. Then the attempt at mutual erasure comes to light; they learn that they have been through all of this already. What to do? In an over lit, discolored hallway, they stare at each other, grim with foreknowledge—and decide to go for it all over again.
— James Parker on the essence of ESOSM, from “The Existential Clown” in December’s The Atlantic. Though Synechdoche, New York was good, ESOSM is, and always will be, my favorite Kaufman flick, and this is why.