Saturday, February 18, 2012

Archive Analysis: "Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind"

Eternal Sunshine
of a Spotless Mind

Directed by: Michel Gondry
Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslett, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo,
Elijah Wood, Tom Wilkinson

Rated: R for language, some drug and sexual content

Michel Gondry’s abstract love-story Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind is an odd film that somehow succeeds as a dark romantic comedy despite it not being very romantic or very funny. The film follows Joel (a rather calm Jim Carrey) who after a nasty breakup with his girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslett) decides to have her erased from his brain. It is through this procedure that Joel goes through the entirety of his life with Clementine, experiencing the highs and lows, which leave him less angry and more confused. As abstract as the film is, it’s actually the most “normal” film I’ve seen from eccentric writer/director Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Synecdoche New York.) While most will lose interest due to it’s abstract plot structure (or it’s harsh material), those who mine through Eternal Sunshine will find the beauty and honesty about relationships that seem to be missing from other films; that, despite their difficulties and potential failures, relationships are worth the journey. As painful as memories can be, to have never experienced them is even more tragic.



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