A Very Unique and Surreal Take on the Rom-Com Genre

Rating: 9/10 (22 August 2018)

Out of all the films made by beloved experimental French filmmaker Michel Gondry, none have ever gotten as much acclaim and recognition as this film. As this was a collaboration with modern screenwriting legend Charlie Kaufman, it has been regarded as one of the most original, touching, and downright unique movies of the 21st century. It is a film that explores both the mind and heart in a much deeper and thought provoking manner than most other films out there. "How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! Each prayer accepted, and each wish resigned." - Alexander Pope. This is the quote that the film stands by the most, and for good reason.
The plot revolves around two former lovers named Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) and Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet) who erase each other from their memories, but begin dating again soon afterwards. What really sells the film are these two main leads, even though they have different personalities. Joel is basically a nowhere man; he has no clue where he's going to but has trouble breaking out of his niche. In contrast, Clementine is much more free spirited, as she often does what she wants over what others say. When Joel tries to erase his memories of Clementine, he realizes that he'd rather have a relationship with flaws than no memory of her at all. Eternal Sunshine is mainly about the struggle to search for hidden feelings, and Joel's struggle to maintain them is enough to make one cry.
In addition to great leads, the acting is simply marvelous. Jim Carrey proves here how he can act outside of his usual screwball antics, as he manages to create a sympathetic and earnest portrayal of an isolated man. Kate Winslet displays Clementine as an attention seeking wild one while also showing how lonely she truly is as well. Thanks to their believable performances, it's understandable to see why these two broke up yet still loved each other. The supporting cast is also quite fun, mainly with Tom Wilkinson, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, and Mark Ruffalo as the eccentric team who run Lacuna, the facility that erases memories. Each character ends up having their own opinions about the process, and we learn more about some of them through the flaws of the facility itself, which helps to make their subplot relevant.
Lastly, Michel Gondry's direction, Ellen Kuras' cinematography, and Valdís Óskarsdóttir's editing craft the movie phenomenally. As a good chunk of the film takes inside Joel's head through the disappearance of his memories, plenty of visual effects flow on screen at a rapid pace, and they look astounding. Whenever Joel enters a memory of his past, the usage of placing him in the environment may showcase the occasional cinematic trick like forced perspective and compositing. I don't think the stylistic choices for the movie get nearly enough credit as the screenplay, for they help present the film with its own distinct identity from a visual standpoint. The way the film is shot should also be noted, as Kuras manages to display the grim nature of the real world and the surrealistic presence of one's inner workings wonderfully.
Overall, Eternal Sunshine is not only a funny albeit realistic sci-fi dramedy in its own right, but it's also a very honest exploration of the mind when conflicting with love itself. The feeling may be painful when it comes to a relationship, but it can also be beautiful when reflecting upon oneself. Even if this film will make you reconsider your opinions about life, love and general memories, it will still hit home for the right reasons. Love is a very complicated word, as there has never been a relationship where there aren't as many downsides as there are upsides. So this is why I can say that this film may be one of the most believable love stories ever told, and nothing that it states is any half-assed effort.