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Eternal
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
(2004)
Starring:
Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst
Director:
Michel Gondry
Rating:
PG-13
Studio:
Focus Features
Release Date:
03.19.04
Review
Posted: 03.19.04
Spoilers:
None
By
Jon Bjorling
"Would You Erase Me?"
The trailers for
Eternal Sunshine
disguise and almost mislead the viewer as to what they are about to
see. Eternal
Sunshine is not a comedy, but instead a romantic drama set inside
someone's mind.
Joel (Jim Carrey) has
lost the woman he loves. Not only does the woman he loves,
Clementine (Kate Winslet), pretend that she doesn't know him, he finds
out that it's not an act. She has completely erased all her memories
of Joel and their relationship. Upon hearing this, Joel decides to
take the same procedure and wipe her from his mind. However, as his
memories start to disappear, he realizes that he has memories that he
wants to keep. And as he tries to protect these memories, he begins to
remember why he loved Clementine in the first place.
Eternal Sunshine
is, thus far, my favorite film of the year. Granted, it's only March
and there are still many films that have yet to be released, but I
have a feeling that nothing would hit me as personally as
Eternal Sunshine
did. In this film, I see some of my own personal relationships, and
thus I know how Joel feels when he watches as his favorite memories
fade away alongside the bad. In the end, Eternal Sunshine is a story
about true love and how true love rises above any and all complaints.
The film is shot in
Dogma 95 (something that I've never been a fan of) and looks
remarkable. The use of handheld cameras, natural light, and Gondry's
love of detail (watch the TV that Carrey stands behind when he and
Winslet are eating Chinese food...) are a perfect combination. Gondry
is a great visual director and he uses all the tricks he's learned as
a video director to tell the story. This story could have been
easily messed up, but it's arranged in such a way that the
need for a complex visual style is mandatory. Few directors would be
able to pull this off.
Jim Carrey plays it
straight throughout the entire film. He never takes an opportunity to
ham it up (although if you check out Michel Gondry's music video
DVD, you can see a little short
film called Pecan Pie that was shot sometime during
production where Carrey gets to goof around.) Kate Winslet is
haunting. I know people 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
film. The film never talks down to its audience and is constantly
innovative in its storytelling. When one thinks they have the story
finally figured out, it takes five new turns. It's always wonderful
to find such originality in a time when more films that are being
released are nothing more than remakes and sequels. Charlie Kaufman,
I salute thee.
Film Rating:
κκκκ (out of
4)
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