"How happy is the blameless vestal's lot"

Rating: 9/10 (21 January 2010)

After a long-term relationship goes sour, Joel (Jim Carrey) is shocked to learn that Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had him erased from her memory. Joel decides to undergo the same procedure himself, but decides midstream that some memories are worth hanging onto. Charlie Kaufman's films explore the workings of the human mind: 'Adaptation (2002)' traced the neurotic exchanges between an artist and his art; 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)' is about how memories influence our relationships with others; I'm yet to work out what 'Being John Malkovich (1999)' was all about, but at least it had fun going about it. As was the case with Spike Jonze, Kaufman found in Michel Gondry a director who shared his unique perspective on life and art. 'Eternal Sunshine' is eccentric without being outwardly quirky, and Gondry's creative flair for optical trickery (sharpened through his work on music videos) is perfect for recreating the labyrinthine cubicles of the human mind.
'Eternal Sunshine' is perhaps the only film I've seen whose narrative moves both forwards and backwards at the same time. It has been said that "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." The film concludes with a single memory skipping back on itself, suggesting that Joel and Clementine are trapped in this endless cycle of "love," heartbreak and erasure for the rest of their lives {indeed, an early screenplay draft depicted this idea more explicitly}. This outcome is mirrored in the relationship between Dr. Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson) and secretary Mary (Kirsten Dunst), who repeat their affair even after Mary undergoes the Lacuna procedure. As in 'Adaptation,' this ending demonstrates Kaufman's talent for depicting failure in the misleading guise of hope; just as Nicolas Cages' screenwriter flounders in his attempts to write an original Hollywood script, Joel and Clementine willingly doom themselves towards a life almost entirely devoid of lasting memories.