You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.

Rating: 10/10 (25 October 2005)

This was hands down the best movie of 2004. I wish it had come out later in the year so Kate Winslet would have won the Oscar she so dearly deserves. One of the reasons I loved this movie was because of the wonderful role reversal. Jim Carrey, whose comic performances have been lauded and dramatic roles almost universally reviled by critics, is superb as the normal, every-man Joel. Kate, who almost always plays the uptight proper lady, is hilarious and heartbreakingly too real as the quirky, emotionally disturbed Clementine. The words that come out of her mouth make you laugh, cry and go into shock all at the same time.
The basic premise of this story is about a recently parted couple, Joel and Clementine, who were polar opposites. Joel comes to realize that in order to move on with her life, Clementine has undergone a new radical procedure that erased all memories of her relationship with him. Joel is horrified and curious at the same time and decides to seek out the doctor for his own experiment. Only once the procedure has begun, he decides (too late!) that although those memories hurt, they are his memories and he is better for having them.
The supporting cast is fantastic as well. Tom Wilkinson, who has never given a bad performance, does not disappoint here as the doctor performing the memory-erasing procedures. While it would have been easy for this character to be one note, Tom breathes life and his own story line into him. Kirsten Dunst shows depth rarely seen before as Mary, a receptionist in the doctor's office. Elijah Wood is stuck in a pretty thankless role as a technician who performs the procedure. Mark Ruffalo, another technician, takes his character to another level with his relationship with Mary and proves once again that he is an amazing supporting actor.
This movie is very big on psychedelic special effects, but the moral is completely real. I would recommend this to anyone in any walk of life.