Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (19 March 2004)
directed by Michel Gondry
starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Wilkinson, Elijah Wood, Thomas Jay Ryan, Mark Ruffalo, Jane Adams, David Cross
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MPAA rating: Studio: Anonymous Content, Focus Features, This Is That Productions Script: Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, Pierre Bismuth Music: Jon Brion, Jeff Lynne Running time: 108 minutes Award: 2004 Bram Stoker Award for Screenplay Tags: adultery; amnesia; Drama; memory; Romance; Science Fiction Tactical strength: [7/10]
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for language, some drug and sexual content
Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) meet on a commuter train. She's pushy and he's reserved, but they seem to have something in common, and the relationship starts to develop. As their relationship unfolds, not everything fits. Sometimes Clementine has blue hair, sometimes green. We see two different events described as the first time they met. Clearly we have conflicting information. We find out that Clementine had her memory of Joel erased. In retaliation, Joel has his memory of Clementine erased, too. So, we see the interleaved sessions of both rounds of courtship. The first round before the erasing, and the second round after the erasing.
A minor plot thread centers on Lacuna Inc. (www.lacunainc.com). Dr. Howard Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson) developed the memory erasing process and runs a small office where he consults with his patients. With such a new procedure, Dr. Mierzwiak clearly hasn't dealt with the ethical issues related to his process. His employees implement the process at night while the patient sleeps, but during their visits the employees help themselves to the customer's food and liquor. One employee, Patrick (Elijah Wood), even tries to develop a relationship with Clementine using the material Joel supplied to Dr. Mierzwiak as part of the erasing procedure.
Joel asks Dr. Mierzwiak if the erasing procedure causes brain damage. The doctor responds, "Well, technically, the procedure is brain damage." Cleary we have some contradictions with the Hippocratic oath going on here, but since the patients do give informed consent to the procedure.
Aside from the medical and ethical questions, Eternal Sunshine explores the nature of attraction and the development of relationships. It asks whether a natural attraction exists between two people. Clearly, the writers believe so, since Joel and Clementine feel drawn to each other repeatedly. But they also develop the same problems the second time around. One possible ending would have the two characters repeatedly meeting and erasing each other without end. But director and writer Gondry give the characters a different solution.
Part way through the procedure, Joel decides that in spite of his decision to end the relationship, he wants to keep his memories of Clementine. We watch as he tries to find unusual places to hide his memories of her, such as his childhood. Joel's decision implies that as human beings, we work better remembering the good and the bad, rather than just remembering the good times. I do like that although Dr. Mierzwiak has questionable ethics, the movie focuses on the questions about relationships and doesn't really try to present a cautionary tale about science or scientific procedures.
I really liked seeing Jim Carrey playing a role that doesn't require over-the-top comic acting. How different here than in Bruce Almighty or as Count Olaf in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Even Carrey's generally traditional role in The Truman Show requires that he seek a radical solution at the climax. I also liked that Kate Winslet plays a hyperactive character to Carrey's even keeled character. This juxtaposition of traditional roles enhances the tension and expectation you feel while trying to work out the plot maze.
