After learning that his Ex-Girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has undergone a procedure to erase her memories of their relationship, Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) decides to undergo the same procedure. However, as he relives their relationship he realizes that he is not only going to forget the bad times, but the great times as well.

CRITIQUE

Eternal Sunshine is a film that blurs the line between surrealism and reality in such a way that one can never tell which is which.  Because it is set inside the mind of a man who is erasing the memories of his last relationship, the only logic in the film is, really, dream logic. Keeping a story with this sort of logic coherent is no small task.  Thankfully writer Charlie Kaufman and director Michel Gondry, with the help of their wonderful cast, are able to keep this film from falling into chaos. 

It is a film about love and looks at love with far more clarity than many romantic dramas do.  Joel and Clementine have arguments over both petty and serious issues that many can identify with and are portrayed in a far more realistic manner than one finds in films of this type.  Every character in the film is multifaceted, even the most minor characters in the film show that they are much more than they appear.  The film has a universal appeal because we can all see some of our own personal relationships, and thus know how Joel feels when he watches as his favorite memories fade away alongside the bad.

Gondry is a great visual director and he uses all the tricks he’s learned as a video director to tell the story.  There is never a moment inside Joel’s head that is uninteresting to watch, the backgrounds are filled with details that make re-watching the film a very pleasant experience.  The use of handheld camera work and Gondry’s unique juxtaposition of images go hand in hand in creating a film that never grows dull.

Jim Carrey plays it straight throughout the entire film.  He never takes an opportunity to ham it up; he maintains a shy and compulsive nature throughout the film.  Kate Winslet’s performance is haunting.  Who doesn’t know someone like her?  She is a free spirit, spontaneous and confused.  She is out to find what is right for her, and never passes up an opportunity to do something different (unlike Joel, who is more conservative in his lifestyle.) The supporting cast is strong as well.  Tom Wilkinson’s Dr. Mierzwiak is a man who tries to help others, but cannot even help himself, just like Kirsten Dunst’s Mary, a receptionist for the memory erasing Lacuna Inc. No one slacks off in this cast.

I highly recommend this DVD for those who have not yet purchased the film. If you have, there is little that this release will offer you (there are a few more deleted/extended scenes, but that’s about all.) This two-disc release is a little more complete than the single disc was, but not that much more.

THE VIDEO

The video transfer is clean and looks good.  There is no sign of digital artifacting or inconsistencies in the color balance.  Overall, it’s a good transfer.

THE AUDIO

The film is presented both Dolby digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1. Both of the mixes sound good.  The ambient sound works well in the mix and adds to the overall enjoyment of the film. The dialogue is clear and is never buried underneath music or sound effects.  It’s a really good mix.

THE EXTRAS

Disc One:

Commentary by Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman: Gondry and Kaufman’s running commentary is a very good look into the making of the film as well as how this project came about and some of the challenges in making the film work.

A Look Inside: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: A little more than the usual talking head “I like this movie, these are great people to work with” types of behind the scenes interviews.  However, it’s not a “making of” feature either.

A Conversation with Jim Carrey and Michel Gondry: Carrey and Gondry sit down and talk about their experiences on the film and why they wanted to do the film.

Deleted Scenes: A few bits and pieces that were cut from the film. They are nice to watch, but it is obvious why they were cut from the film.

Polyphonic Spree “Light and Day” Music Video: A nice little video set to scenes from the film.

Lacuna Inc. Commercial: An advertisement for Lacuna Inc.

Disc Two:

Inside the Mind of Michel Gondry: A very interesting featurette about how Gondry and the crew went about making the surreal effects in the film, as well as some of the abandoned concepts.

Anatomy of a Scene: Saratoga Avenue: A great look into how one of the earliest surreal moments of the film was pulled off.

A Conversation with Kate Winslet and Michel Gondry: Like the Carrey/Gondry conversation on the first disc, Winslet and Gondry sit down and talk about their experiences on the film. 

Deleted/Extended Scenes:  In these scenes, we are given an opportunity to see the woman Joel was with before he met Clementine.  While her involvement in the film was unnecessary, it is nice to see these scenes.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is a very good presentation (and a little more complete) presentation of Eternal Sunshine.  I highly recommend it to those who have not yet seen or purchased the film. To those who already own the film, it’s a good set, but not necessary to have.