Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

User Review

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  TheMovieDiorama

  8 / 10

  Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind takes the romantic genre and injects a quirky sci-fi concept right into the heart. Over the years this has developed massive acclaim and a cult following, with many stating it's one of the best romance stories available. Whilst I do not slot into that following, I can appreciate the admiration that viewers give this. Joel falls in love with Clementine, they are complete opposites but are attracted to each other's qualities. Her impulsive nature does not always sit well with Joel, and suddenly the two have each other erased from their minds through a specialist company that deals with this procedure. Halfway through the process, Joel changes his mind and must attempt to savour his last memories of her. Concept aside, what separates this from other similar films is the editing and overall creative environment. One minute they are in a library, only to transition outside on a frozen lake. Inside a cosy lounge? Don't worry, rain will start to pour down. It reflects how the mind works. The scattered nature of the narrative, consistently switching from scene to scene, resembles our brains and how memories are mapped. There is no linear path to memories, when you think of something nostalgically you then suddenly think of something else. You may find this jarring and slightly confusing, but it works. It's an intriguing concept that is thoroughly explored both in technique and the moral implications. We even have subplots regarding the team who are leading the memory erasing process. I do find this detracts from the focus on Joel and Clementine which is the more important element to the film. Having said that, Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet have ample amount of screen time. Both playing roles that they do not typically perform, yet the chemistry felt real. At no point was I thinking "this feels like typical Hollywood fabricated romance". The indie feel of the film allows the filmmakers to explore themes of memories and the mind without tarnishing the central romance. A creative and intriguing drama.

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