Jim Carrey does drama

Rating: 9/10 (20 March 2004)

If anyone still doubts that Jim Carrey can be a serious dramatic actor, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" will erase (pun not intended) all doubts.
Carrey plays Joel, a depressed, anxious, phobic man who can't catch a break. In the opening scene, he spontaneously decides to blow off work and take a train out to Montauk. There he meets Clementine (Kate Winslet), a free spirit and alcoholic, and they hit it off immediately. (Who says opposites don't attract?)
In the next scene, Joel is crying his eyes out because Clementine not only left him for another man, but she has absolutely no recollection of him. So Joel decides to go to a doctor (Tom Wilkinson) to get his Clem erased from his memory.
From this point, the story of Clem and Joel's relationship is told backward, sort of like "Memento." The imagery in the flashback scenes is nothing short of wonderful. Director Michael Gondry uses a spotlight to point to what part of Joel's memory is being erased, while Joel and Clem try to stay away from the light so the Erasers can't find her.
Speaking of the Erasers, Mark Ruffalo are Elijah Wood hysterical as Stan and Patrick, the techies who spend the night erasing Joel's memory. Kirsten Dunst is great as Mary, the doctor's receptionist and Stan's stoner girlfriend.
But the best part of "Eternal Sunshine" is Jim Carrey. He leaves his goofiness behind (well, most of it anyway) to do another terrific dramatic performance. Joel is the most emotional character in the movie, whereas Clem is the wild, zany sexpot.
I didn't see "Being John Malkovich" or "Adaptation," so I can't compare "Eternal Sunshine" to Charles Kaufman's other movies. But I enjoyed it. It is an artistic, smart, sexy, and touching romantic dramedy about fighting fate to find happiness. (9/10)