Not many movies give me as hard a time writing a review as I’ve had with Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This isn’t because the movie is bad, but because Charlie Kaufman’s screenpaya is so original, it’s hard to determine just where to start.
I’m a fan of Kaufman. His screenplays are frequently as odd as they are brilliant (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation). He’s is able to breathe reality into an unreal world and Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are spectacular in Eternal Sunshine in bringing his recent reality to life.
Eternal Sunshine‘s complexities originate in a world where it is now possible to erase a portion of your life completely from memory. In this case Joel Barrish (Carrey) is suddenly surprised when his long-time girlfriend, Clementine (Winslet) doesn’t even seem to recognize him any longer. He thinks she’s just acting but soon learns she choseto have him and their tumultuous relationship erased. In reaction to this, Barrish decides to do the same, but in doing so his love for Clementine is rediscovered and the battle to save his memory ensues.
Throughout the film the audience is taken in and out of Barrish’s mind as his memories are attempted to be wiped by the Lacuna, Inc. staff played by Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst and Tom Wilkenson, and as Barrish fights to save his memories they fight back.
What makes the movie so good is the way Kaufman is able to draw on the things that make relationships great and, alternatively, what causes them to crumble and turn them into a chess match as Joel isn’t quite ready to tip his king.
It is no secret Jim Carrey is trying to let audiences know he is more than just a goofy actor that can only play comedic roles and Eternal Sunshine does well to prove this. Carrey draws on his emotions and gives what may be considered the performance of his career, which is balanced out by Kate Winslet’s equally impressive and quirky performance.
The only time Eternal Sunshine seems to stutter is with its sudden ending, which isn’t bad because it is such a huge plot twist, but because it is so sudden.
The movie is so intriguing that the ending seems to be a little too easy and unsatisfying. It’s just far too simple considering the unique nature of the film itself. It would have made more sense had it gone entirely in the opposite direction. The audience and the characters have invested way too much time for the film to end up where it does, especially since you have a pretty good idea how the lives on screen will turn out after the film ends.
Everything said, this movie is well worth the view, but don’t be surprised if you are a little upset with how it all turns out, and don’t blame me, I warned you.
