Charlie Kaufman is not The Second Coming

Rating: 2/10 (20 March 2006)

Caught this last night. I ask those proclaiming Charlie Kaufman The Second Coming to remember the card sent to Joel's friends asking them to not tell him Clementine had him zapped. Seeing him again neither re-triggers her memory or fries her brain, so what possible reason is there NOT to tell him? And what about the woman with the mementos of her dead dog? Do these "geniuses" send out cards informing Buster's pals that his mistress has had him zapped, so please don't mention it to him? It's the stupidest plot device I've seen in ages!
The nature of the sub-conscious is never explored, or how memory is intertwined with thought, or how the most random sight, smell or touch can trigger the most deep-seated memory. We not only dream of people (and pets) no longer a part of our lives, but of people we've never met. How do you zap that? And what happens if a person somehow reconnects with what they had zapped? Kaufman doesn't even begin to address any of this.
He then trots out his trademark Twits Behaving Badly: the minions raid Joel's fridge, smoke pot, and dance on his bed with the stereo full blast; Mary tries to seduce Stan; Patrick swipes Joel's gift for Clementine so he can score with her; the Doctor zaps Mary's memory so his wife won't find out they've been playing doctor! Yuk, yuk!
Kaufman also has a serious problem with women: Clementine, as are most of his heroines, is a total wack job who should never be allowed to reproduce, and Joel (a passive-aggressive wuss if ever there was one) shouldn't apologize for stating the obvious. After all, relationships are supposed to be based on honesty, especially when the truth hurts!