Heartwrenching yet hopeful, messy yet beautiful... Just like a real relationship

Rating: 8/10 (20 November 2016)

Charlie Kaufmann is perhaps the most sophisticated screenwriter (whose films get made) in Hollywood. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a testament to his ability. The writing is multi-layered, the characters flawed but incredibly relatable. Jim Carrey's performance is spectacular, as are the performances of the supporting cast. It is a testament to the writing, acting, and direction, that so much power can be put into the simplest of exchanges. Never before have I felt such an rush of emotion from the word "okay."
The film as a whole is a work of art that reaches down into your core. It carries an emotional weight that few films dare to explore, but it succeeds admirably. If I had to gripe about one thing, it would be that the score is occasionally jarring and discordant in places where it clashes with the tone of the scene and feels forced and out of place. This seems to be an intentional artistic choice, but all it did for me was break the suspension of disbelief. That being said, when the score did match the tone of the scene, which was more often than not, the contrast made it all the more powerful.
The film is a truly honest look at relationships, exploring exactly why we keep on trying to make them work despite all the pain that they can cause when they end. It follows all the ups and downs, all the joy and all the heartbreak, really mimicking a true relationship in tone and structure. It feels messy and out-of-control, it makes you laugh and cry, the two main characters both do and say things that you cannot abide, and yet you still root for them every step of the way. Relationships are like that; they aren't neat, they aren't all sunshine and rainbows, people say things they don't mean, and their endings leave us confused and distraught. However, as the saying goes, "it is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all." Despite all the pain and heartbreak, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind tells us (and shows us) that love truly is worth it in the end.