Kaufman et al score with best film of 2004 so far

Rating: 9/10 (3 May 2004)

My rating: 9/10
Would individuals and the world be better off if science could invent a way to erase bad memories, such as those of a romantic relationship gone sour? At first thought, the answer might appear to be a quick, unequivocal `yes', but screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and company present a much more complex, considered response in Eternal Sunshine, in the process making some timeless observations on the nature of romantic love and life itself. For without unpleasant memories, how are people to learn from their mistakes and move forward? Might they not be doomed to repeat their mistakes, almost verbatim? And would people be better off learning news of the future, or are we to be thankful that the future is unknowable?
Fans of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, who loved `Being John Malkovich' and `Adaptation' (the best film of 2002, in my judgment), will no doubt relish Eternal Sunshine. Kaufman is to be commended for again breaking new ground in filmmaking; while Eternal Sunshine is definitely recognizable as a Kaufman film, he has not yet fallen into a rut, and the material is satisfyingly original. But Kaufman isn't the only one who deserves kudos for Eternal Sunshine (he also shares writing credits): Jim Carrey is great, Kate Winslet gives a strong performance as Carrey's self-admittedly `high maintenance' love interest, and Kirsten Dunst (incredibly nubile dancing in her underwear during one scene) shows both emotional shallowness (as a worshipful assistant to a doctor and a party girl) and depth, when required.
Eternal Sunshine makes excellent use of the medium of film; like Kaufman's other work, it would have to be tremendously transformed to be made into a book or play. The intent in Eternal Sunshine is to mimic the behavior of the mind by jumping from image to image across boundaries of time and space, not always paying attention to the laws of physics, and combining disparate elements from multiple experiences. Through striking sets such as a beach house that disintegrates as Carrey's character slowly has the memory of it destroyed, Director Michel Gondry succeeds in crafting powerful images to convey Kaufman's story.
Those looking for a film that requires and rewards thought will find much enjoyable brain food in Eternal Sunshine. It's not quite Kaufman's deepest work, but it most definitely delivers an original moviegoing experience.