Make 'em laugh, make 'em cry, make 'em wait

Rating: 2/10 (27 March 2004)

"Eternal Sunshine" displays vivid scenes from a wonderful/terrible relationship. The first hour was a total waste -- slow, sentimental, shallow-- and I considered walking out several times. The movie has long stretches where nothing much happens but picks up when it becomes a chase, with the hero and heroine attempting to elude the memory erasers and preserve/ create the best moments of their relationship. At no point did I care much about the characters or the pretentious plot, so action and bright flashes were appreciated. The end of the movie focuses on the question of whether they (we) would begin a new relationship knowing that it would end badly, exposing our vulnerabilities and character weaknesses, but that it would include some peak moments and enlargement of ourselves as well.