Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

There's only one way to describe "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind": perfect. It's been one week since I saw the movie and I still cannot stop thinking about it. Was the ending happy or sad? I cannot tell, but it's deeply touching.

Charlie Kaufman is incredible. How does he come up with all these original, flawless scripts? Finally there's someone who uses the possibilities of cinema to the fullest. I love the way Kaufman shows the fate of individuals and derives universally true rules from it. The content of his story is always highly philosophical without ever being smart alec.

Some say "Eternal Sunshine..." was over-directed. I disagree. Having read the script, I know that Gondry deserves lots of credit for bringing this beautiful story to life. Sure, there are five creepy images per minute, but have you ever seen such an original, weird picture? Mind you, I'm not saying that lots of effects automatically make for a good direction, but in this case it really helped to underline the story, not distracting from it.

Jim Carrey... wow! I've always liked him as the hilarious Comedian he is, but I never thought that his performances in "The Truman Show" and "Man On The Moon" were that much of a departure from his funny-man side. As Joel, however, he is a completely different person. It's like Jim Carrey had a serious twin brother. Unbelievable. I bow to this performance! Give this man more chances to show his acting abilities, I say!

Finally I have to mention Beck's cover of "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime", which fits perfectly into the movie and won't leave my CD-Player for the next months.

A movie like "Eternal Sunshine..." really shows how much time and money Hollywood wastes on producing crap like "Bad Boys" or "The Fast & The Furious", and its box office result demonstrates how little people care about quality in movies. Personally, I have found my first contender for best motion picture of the year. I need to see the movie again, because I have a feeling that this one gets even better with each viewing. I can't wait until it's released on DVD.

I feel the need to say more, but I can't put my feelings into (English) words. All I can say is: GO SEE THIS MOVIE! You won't regret it.

Michel Gondry, credited as the director and co-writer of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, is only partly responsible for the success that the film achieves. He implements a awe-inspiring blend of style to a story that is perfectly non-linear. But then there is also the madman genius of the current screen writing plane- Charlie Kaufman- who has written three of the most ingenious, funny, and human of "little" Hollywood movies (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind).

He understands, and perhaps likely experienced to a degree, what a relationship holds to- the truth, to understanding, and then when it ends, how out memory changes the relationship. Enter in the concept that makes 'Eternal Sunshine' something of a un-official science fiction film - the Lacuna corporation, led by Tom Wilkinson's character, can erase just one person out of your memory, all of the experiences that you and the significant other had. So, when Joel (Jim Carrey) goes in to erase his memory of Clementine (Kate Winslet) after finding out she did just the same, he enters into a mind-warp. He goes through memories they had, happy ones, sad ones, some that are just what makes up what you have emotionally with the one you've loved. And sometimes, and to the behest of the assistants of Lacuna (Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo), Joel doesn't want them all to be erased.

As I mentioned, the plot is non-linear, which could've gone the wrong way if not done with skill. With a film like 21 Grams, which has a talented director and cast, the non-linear structure isn't necessary. But it's an asset that the story doesn't start from A to Z. To assist Gondry with this, he has the extraordinary Ellen Kuras as DP and Valdís Óskarsdóttir, an editor from Iceland. Their collaboration is crucial with Gondry and Kaufman (and co-writer Pierre Bismuth), as they bring all of these un-real images a real quality. Quite simply, there isn't a finer example of surrealism crossbred with realism in any other American film so far this year. The usage of lights, cuts, and with the kinds of special effects not expected (i.e. no CGI), add to the effect it has on a viewer. That the characters of Joel and Clementine are as enveloping as they are is also a credit to Kaufman.

But then there's one more part that completes the success of the film - the acting. Jim Carrey, very simply, is at his very best. He finds a balance from certain scenes in being like people we see everyday, feeling low, not much of interest, inward. And then when the memory erases begin, we get to see him act funny, but not like the kind of humor he brought with Ace Ventura or Dumb and Dumber. This is Carrey knowing this character just well enough to play off his counterpart, played by Winslet. She, meanwhile, is perhaps at her best. Her character is eccentric, funny, insightful, and wanting. She pulls it off. As do the supporting actors.

There's not much more I can say about this film, except to say that even after seeing it three times, I feel like I could watch it over and over and see a new shot, a new sequence, and new set of emotions tied to things. It's one of the great romantic dramedies of the decade.

The first time I saw this movie I found it confusing, a little artsy for my taste and I didn't get it.

But I didn't come in here to give it a 1 point rating or a damning review just because I didn't get it. It would be kind of stupid to pass judgement on a film that I didn't fully understand.

Some years later I watched it for the second time. My ex had just left me, and I don't remember how and why I came by this movie again. But the second time I got it. And how life would be like a bleak dessert, frozen in time, in the eternal sunshine of a spotless mind.

And after watching it a second time I felt hopeful again.

Joel and Clementine have reached breaking point in their relationship, every action, every word triggers the other, so much so, that they each undergo a procedure to remove all trave of the other.

How wonderful a thought, being able to remove all trace of an ex, better still having them remove all trace of you.

It has taken me years to get this film, years, I simply didn't get it, I'd tried several times over the years, it just never clicked, until now. If you're frustrated by the first twenty minutes, I urge you to give it another try.

We've all been there, hurt by a relationship, pushed to the point of despair, how wonderful it would be to remove all trace, it's a wonderful concept, but real life doesn't allow for that, however in film, anything is possible.

Wonderfully nightmarish, but sweet and tender at times too, the moments of hate and loathing are eclipsed by Joel and Clem's tender scenes.

The only thing I can think of that had similar vibes, was Total Recall, dissimilar in most aspects, but that whole memory manipulation theme is similar.

I have forever been a fan of Jim Carrey, and I would regard this as one of his best performances, he's terrific, as is Kate Winslet, the pair combined so well.

9/10.

If you can relate to the underlying theme of love longed for, love given and received, and love lost, this is a great film. If you have come to understand that acceptance can -sometimes- be a great thing and not a compromise or a 'settle for' - this is a moving film.

As crazy and almost surreal as elements of this film are, it somehow remains honest and real. That seems like a contradiction... life is contradictory, isn't it?

Carrey and Winslet both turn in superb performances, as do the supporting cast. An incredible film that most of the people who 'get it' will love - but I suspect there will be more than a small percentage who won't understand it or can't relate to it and they will (understandably) dislike it.