The best film in the last 20 years

Rating: 10/10 (23 May 2004)

1999 saw a bright new development in independent cinema from the states. You had in that year American Beauty, Magnolia, Three Kings, Fight Club and Being John Malkovich. Since then there have been several other really good films like Memento, Punch Drunk Love and most recently Lost in Translation. These have all paved the way for the most remarkable film of this ilk - The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
For too long now films dealing with human relationships have either fallen into the sappy sentimentality or are just cold. No one has tried a relationship film with special effects let alone have them work so gently to enhance the story.
Every element of this film works from Kaufman's deep engaging script to Gondry's subtle direct, to Kuras' beautiful cinematography to Carrey and Winslet's perfect performances to Jon Brions extraordinary score. It is so rare that everything works so completely. If I did have a criticism it might be of the subplot with Ruffalo, Dunst and Wilkinson but I could see how it was essential in the framework of the story - it's just that the main story worked so perfectly you didn't want to shift from it.
Lots of people have liked this film. I liked it more the second time I saw it and cannot wait for the DVD
Until it does I highly recommend the DVD the Work of Director Michel Gondry - it contains most of his work as a music video director - and you can see from it that he is one of the most creative minds of our age