Inventive drama/romance with Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet and so much more

Rating: 8/10 (20 November 2019)

A man (Jim Carrey) discovers that his babe (Kate Winslet) had her memory of their relationship removed via the medical procedures of an innovative company. He decides to get the surgery as well, but as the technicians (Mark Ruffalo & Elijah Wood) conduct the procedure he changes his mind! Can he escape with his memory intact and possibly save the relationship? Tom Wilkinson plays the doctor and Kirsten Dunst the secretary.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004) is a drama/sci-fi/romance hybrid that's so confusing during its first half that it fails to captivate (and is even annoying) but, if you persevere, everything starts making sense by the midpoint, ushering in an entertaining and insightful second half. The movie's depth naturally makes it improve on repeat viewings wherein it's more understandable as you put the pieces together.
Viewers who complain that a certain person is too dramatic, selfish and high maintenance to put up with for more than a month didn't get the closing moral, which is both true and profound: Couples can (and should) realize the flaws of their mate, which they genuinely don't like, but it's "Okay." That's true love.
There are also unexpected peripheral gems on unethical behavior in a supposedly professional environment, secret relationships, discarding unwanted skeletons, and more. Lastly, curvy, vivacious Winslet shines and it's nice to see Carrey in a serious role.
The film runs 1 hour, 48 minutes, and was shot in the New York City area (Yonkers, Montauk, Mount Vernon, Manhattan and Brooklyn).
GRADE: A-