Mind bending and poignant. Fantastic.

Rating: 10/10 (31 July 2014)

Have you ever been in a relationship that you wish you could completely erase from your memory? Perhaps you fell out of love, perhaps your significant other was unfaithful, or perhaps it simply wasn't meant to be. This is the situation that Joel Barish is faced with in the superb Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind.
Jim Carrey plays Joel, a shy and unassuming bachelor who meets Clementine, a boisterous, fun loving dynamo who gives his mundane existence a considerable shot in the arm. Unfortunately for Joel, Clementine decides she has had enough and has all memory of him erased. Feeling understandably hurt, Joel decides that he also wants the operation and subsequently arranges a memory wipe of his own.
The rest of the movie takes place in Joel's head as he realises he does not want to have the operation and proceeds to try and prevent it. It sounds a little confusing and, to some extent, it is. The high concept can take a little while to get your head around, but once you do, you will uncover an absolute gem of a romance.
The fact that the movie takes place inside Joel's head gives director Michel Gondry the opportunity to fill the screen with some unforgettable images, such as a rainstorm in a living room and a fully grown Jim Carrey being bathed in the sink. But the true genius of Eternal Sunshine lies in its structure. The first half of the movie is quite gloomy as it focuses on the end of Joel and Clementine's relationship but, as the team begin to wipe earlier memories, we see what made the couple fall in love in the first place and we are treated to some truly heart warming scenes that never threaten to stray into cheesy territory.
With Carrey playing against type as the close mouthed Joel, it falls to Kate Winslet to adopt the typical Carrey role, and she grabs the opportunity with both hands. Winslet's energy permeates every scene she is in and it is easy to see why Joel fell in love with her. A stellar supporting cast does good work with a slightly underwhelming sub-plot, but this is very much Joel and Clementine's movie and, by the time the credits roll, you will instantly want to watch it again if only to make sure you understood what just happened.
A mind bending romance with a fantastically clever script and some outstanding imagery. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind is one of the best romantic films you will ever see.