I Can't Get This One Out Of My Head

Rating: 10/10 (4 October 2008)

I watched this film over two days ago, and have found it increasingly difficult to think of anything else since. An unassuming, honest, off-beat, film , 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' is one of those movies that will grow on you and make you want to watch it time and time again, and is intelligent and thought-provoking enough to keep you captivated on repeated viewings.
Boasting none of the usual Hollywood glitz, though the cast list is definitely something to show off about, 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' follows the shy, quite and often seemingly 'boring' Joel Barish, who, after dating a girl called Clementine for several years visits her one day, only to discover she has no recollection of who he is and has in fact had him intentionally and entirely erased from her memory. Joel, distraught, hurt and confused, visits the place where Clementine had her memories of him erased and chooses to do the same to his memories of her. However, once made unconscious so the procedure could occur, he re-lives each of the memories as the team (Patrick, Frank, Stan and Mary) are trying to erase them, and suddenly decides that this may not really be what he wants. As the viewer we are given the chance to see Clem and Joel's relationship through these memories, how they met, the good times, the bad, why Clem finally decided she no longer wanted to have Joel as part of her life - or memory. And we also watch as Joel discovers that he doesn't, in fact, want to erase Clem from his life forever, and we sit at the edge of our seat willing Joel to find a way to keep his memories safe forever.
I think 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' is a brilliant film, probably my second favourite film I have ever watched (the first being' A Beautiful Mind'). However, I do realise it's limitations too. It feels like a low budget movie (whether it is or not I do not know) despite boasting many Hollywood stars in the cast list. However, I feel that this definitely adds to the movie rather than takes away from it - it gives the film a sense of character, of individuality, as well as fitting the story well - for neither of the main characters live a glamorous life, so for the film to be filmed in that style would have been untrue to itself. Another limitation some may note would be the actual story - the idea of having a person fully erased from your memory is absurd, however, like certain other science-fictional stories I have seen or read (such as the novel, 'The Time Traveller's Wife') the absurdity of the idea comes second to the story, and the message of the story. The film is set in the real world, in our time, so it is easy to forget that memories cannot just simply be erased, and instead, as the viewer you pay attention to the story, and what the film is trying to ultimately say.
The acting in this film is superb. Jim Carrey (who I have only ever seen in comedic roles previously) makes a breathtaking transformation into a serous role as Joel Barish, pulling off the character of a quite, shy loner with far more integrity and skill than I would have ever believed possible. Kate Winslet too made a startling change in my eyes from the only other role I'd seen her in (Rose in Titanic) to the gritty, fun-loving, unique, emotional, impulsive and incredibly chatty Clementine, who's ever-changing bright coloured hair makes the passage of time in the film slightly easier to follow. I think my favourite performance however was by Mark Ruffalo as Stan, and this is the second time Ruffalo has blown me away with a role and he will certainly be someone who I will keep my eye on in the future - he is an incredibly gifted actor.
I don't want to say too much about this film as I don't want to give much away. I will say though that the final scenes were very emotionally powerful (which surprised me)and that, although the film is only about an hour and a half in length, the character development throughout makes it feel like you have known the main two characters, Joel and Clem, for many years, and you end up caring for them as you would for two good friends, wanting them both to be happy. The film worked enough to have me willing Joel to hide his memory's from the 'evil' eraser team, to remember Clem, and go back to her and make her remember him too, but whether that happens or not I will not say - you'll just have to watch and see. All I will say is that there are a few surprises that I defiantly was not expecting, that this film is not as predictable as you may expect, it being a love story and all.