MOVIE REVIEW: ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND 


Synopsis from imdb:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Joel (Jim Carrey) is stunned to discover that his girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had her memories of their tumultuous relationship erased. Out of desperation, he contracts the inventor of the process, Dr. Howard Mierzwaik (Tom Wilkinson), to have Clementine removed from his own memory. But as Joel's memories progressively disappear, he begins to rediscover their earlier passion. From deep within the recesses of his brain, Joel attempts to escape the procedure. As Dr. Mierzwiak and his crew (Kristen Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood) chase him through the maze of his memories, it's clear that Joel just can't get her out of his head. 

Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman has a wire that plugs into my brain. Maybe that'll be the next story that we get from him and one of his two favorite directors. A manic but successful hollywood screenwriter is pulling stories right out of the mind of a procrastinating would-be screenwriter who lives in a bunker...

It seems like every film he writes is that weird kind of familiar that happens when you begin to remember what happened that night you got really drunk and now everyone is mad at you. This film is no different.

Kaufman and Michel Gondry bring us the awkwardly titled Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I know it's been out a few weeks, but hey I've been busy and you didn't see it anyway. Your mistake.

This film is haunting. Like Groundhog Day would be if Bill Murray NEVER got the day to stop repeating. It is entertaining, clever, thought provoking, and ultimately I found it slightly depressing.

But in a good way (?).

The movie reminded me of a Twilight Zone episode. Not a specific one, just that recurring Twilight Zone science / fantasy element. Hiding a parable, or a morality play with a few lines of mumbo jumbo science and creating a reality that the viewer accepts completely. Even the quackery of the scientists in the film is completely acceptable (Mark Ruffalo gives another great performance, makes me wonder if he could be bad in a film, but I never saw that movie he did with Meg Ryan). Carrey is very sympathetic as Joel, who seems as disoriented in his regular life as he is when his reality starts coming apart. It is because of Joel that we like Clementine, not for who she is (frankly she's a basketcase) but because he loves her deeply we can accept that she's his basketcase and that makes her shenanigans somehow acceptable.

It's difficult to really review this film because the film made me think so much that I am remembering the film for so much more than it was, for what it left me with. It forced me to examine lots of intangible elements of my life. Memory, history, happiness, sadness, extreme sadness and how could you function without them all? Where do we exist in our own past and what parts do others play? Some of the film perhaps addresses man's need to play god (even within our own mind) but I don't think its gets too heavy fisted with it. Much like The Truman Show there is the undertone that nature (or god) will find a way to overpower our efforts. In The Truman Show it's a good thing too, but in ETotSM it's almost a sad commentary that we are destined to repeat our mistakes and even when presented with the opportunity to NOT repeat them, we will anyway.

I recommend this film to anyone who likes provocative films, also it has a very French feeling and style which I enjoyed. In case you miss it, I'll lend you the DVD when it comes out, I'd really like to talk to someone about it.

Toby Wallwork 

Posted: Mon - May 17, 2004 at 03:33 AM       @ toby

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