Eternal Sunshine of the almost SPOTLESS Movie...

Title:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (A-)
Actors:
Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Tom Wilkinson
Director:
Michael Gondry
Story & Screenplay:
Charlie Kaufman
Editor / Music:
Valdis Oskarsdottir / Jon Kuras
Producer:
Anthony Bregman
Studio:
Focus Features



“I assumed you fuck someone tonight. Isn’t that how you get people to like you???"

Oh, how I wish it’s that easy to say that without expecting a slap or punch on your face afterwards. I’m a huge fan of Charlie as a writer. Who can forget Adaptation????? Or if you’re not familiar, how about Being John Malkovich? Those all came from this one bewildered man who takes himself into his own world and let us share it with them. It is the movie about love and just how much can it sustain.

Joel (Carrey) is a writer. He finds joy in being alone, especially on parties and get-togethers, the only thing that he has in common with Clementine (Winslet) . She works as a cashier in a supermarket and expresses herself by dyeing her hair with relation to her state of mind. After 2 years of a roller coaster relationship, they separated. The impulsive Clem decided to have her memories of him erased and Dr. Howard Mierzwalk (Tom Wilkinson) have the technology to do that. Joel found out and decided to do the exact same thing, but love won’t let them get away that easy. As it continually finds a way for the memory to last, but even if the memory is lost, somehow love always finds his way. Will it be sweeter the second-time around???

When Jim Carrey tries on a serious role, you always find it awkward. Majestic fits as the perfect example. But somehow, Jim found a way to combine comedy with drama to lessen the astonishment, like in The Truman show and like in this movie. One thing I love about the Jim and Kate tandem is that they’re so watchable. You can’t deter yourself from looking on the screen. You can feel their chemistry and how relax they were with each other. And that’s one of the tools that made this movie very enjoyable.

Kaufman has this certain style of writing that’s very unique. He’s an American with this art film thinking. One thing noticeable with his writing is that he usually starts very slow, that it tends to become a little boring. But that’s how he prepares his audience for what’s coming. The next thing you know the character is running around and making turns that sometimes you find yourself left behind.

Gondry gave justice to the screenplay. Though I taught nobody else from Soderbergh or Jones can handle Kaufman's work, Gondry comes in and made this movie truly one of a kind. The running away from the grocery store scene of Jim was just astounding, what imaginative mind and superb vision. He made this movie as controlled as I would like it to be, it was fast enough not to be boring and it was slow enough for me to understand.

The movie is very simple. It has this art film vibe going on. It’s like watching a French film minus the surplus nudity. The cinematography is good enough, fits the movie. The music is very simple as well and the editing is very good.



Jim and Kate are sure Oscar-runners. They’ve already both been nominated for the Golden Globes, even if they don’t win because this year’s competition is way too intense, a nomination will be good enough for me. You will definitely love Jim Carrey in this movie. This is one of if not the best performance ever. Kate had stronger performances than the one in this movie but she rendered this character oh so well that I felt that it did came to life. Tom Wilkinson was good. Kirsten needs more work; I thought Claire Danes could have done a better job. Elijah is okay. Mark gave a much more subtle performance than the usual.

In conclusion, this FILM ROCKS!!!! One of the best films of 2004. Charlie’s brilliance deserves to be known to everyone. It featured love as something more than sexual attraction, that there is such a thing as true love. That love, no matter how we try to hide it, finds its way to the one it seeks. Love is not just desire; it’s deeper than longing. It’s profound and unexplainable. It crosses the ethical and the logical. It knows no boundaries. And to experience love… you have to see this movie, before the sun sets on your mind. (damn, i'm so lame)