A wonderfully realised modern romance

Rating: 9/10 (10 April 2007)

Eternal Sunshine... seems to be one of those films that really divides its audience. (In fact, I think's it's only behind Napoleon Dynamite as a film which inspires such devotion or dislike in equal measure).
I personally love the film. I think it's a inspired concept, excellently handled and visually stunning - and a welcome break from all the saccharine Sleepless in Seattle-style romantic comedies that clog the market.
I think it is one of the most genuinely moving love stories of this oh-so-cynical age. It portrays modern relationships for what they are: turbulent, destructive, and by no means easy - filled with neuroses and obstacles, but ultimately the most intoxicating and enjoyable experiences life can throw in your path.
It shows that romance isn't in dull plot contrivance; in a race to catch your true love before their train leaves the station; in a mysterious romantic note found in a bottle, etc. Love is found in the little moments shared by two people, the memories that are known only to its participants.
The film is also the best example of the human mind imagined as a landscape that I can think of.