Well thought out, good Gondry traits! .. read on

Rating: 9/10 (19 March 2004)

I just viewed, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". It is something more to be experianced and then talked about with friends, than reviewed. One regret is that there is less 'science' in it, less about the concepts of brain erasure(I mean) and more about Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, but I found this to be a compensation. Whatever chemistry there was (at the end) of that terrible movie "Lost in Translation" this film works over. There is definite nostalgia, and unlike Translation, this actually works.. it is actually real, and not forced on by unknown places and anxiousness.
Those who know Gondry's work will be pleased, there are many traits throughout that identify his style. With Kaufman, the same "Adaptation" presence is felt, especially in the beginning V.O.
Not a brilliant piece, but highly intelligent for its genre. Everyone else, Wilkinson, Dunst, Ruffalo, Wood do very well, the acting actually does work.
There are no special filters of dazzling special effects in this film, and for that, I am glad. Filters have been overused in recent times....no Lord of the Rings blue and green filters, thank goodness, no cliche special effects.....
This film could have come out in the early to mid 90's, and that is a good thing. This film can be compared with Adaptation, and in many points, is much better. Definitely an improvement on Kaufman's "Confessions of a dangerous mind", for sure.
There is not much else to say about this film, except that it feels like it was filmed in Seattle....am I wrong? Jim Carrey's performance is like a mix of "The Truman Show" and "Man on the Moon"(in the more sad parts) AND something else, something better, and new, which I really liked. Jim Carrey overcame his newfound "Bruce Almighty" slump! Hooray!
Kate Winslet does awesome, even better than her "Titanic" and "Quills" performances. Sorry internet nerds, no nudity here... is this Winslet's 1st film without baring all? Which is good.
That is all.

J