Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Review

"Constantly talking isn't necessarily communicating."

-Joel Barish

Before I get into this film, I just need to say I knew nothing about this movie going into it besides the fact it was sort of a romantic-comedy.  That's literally it and I'm glad I didn't know anything else about it.  So unless you've seen this movie already, stop reading now!  Drop what you're doing and go watch it.  I give it my highest recommendation and implore everyone to check this movie out.  Go in with as little information as possible and enjoy the ride.  SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!

Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) discovers his ex-girlfriend, Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet), who he is still in love with, has undergone a procedure to have all of her memories involving Joel erased.  Now Joel is a complete stranger to her.  Devastated, Joel decides to undergo the same procedure and have all of his memories of Clementine erased.  That night, as the technicians erase his memories, Joel is trapped in his mind watching them disappear and he has to figure out if this is what he really wants.  And even if he does change his mind, can he stop the procedure while trapped inside his own head?

What Works:

The story of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is utterly bizarre.  There is no telling what is going to happen next and I found myself constantly wondering what was real and what wasn't.  It's wholly engaging and utterly fascinating to watch as we move from memory to memory inside Joel's head.  It's been awhile since I've been so completely engrossed in a film and it was a fantastic experience.

I love Jim Carrey.  I think he's an extremely underrated dramatic actor and while he has some funny moments throughout this film, his performance is mostly dramatic.  His reaction to discovering Clementine erased him from her memory is heartbreaking and his performance after he learns he had previously dated Clementine is fantastic.  He's a great lead for this movie.  He keeps us surprisingly grounded as we descend into madness.

Kate Winslet also gives an interesting performance.  Her character, Clementine, is not my cup of tea.  If I were Joel, I would have been running for the hills not long after I met here.  She has red flags upon red flags and my advice to Joel would be to run for it.  But, I can see why Joel likes her so much.  Winslet gives a great performance that is really against type.  She's a memorable character and adds a really interesting dynamic to the story.

The rest of the cast is also stellar.  Tom Wilkinson, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, and Elijah Wood are all employees of the memory erasing clinic and they all bring it.  For the most part I just expected them to be the comic relief storyline and while that was true, they eventually got their own interesting stories.  The reveal that Dunst had also had her memories erased because she was in love with Wilkinson is shocking and I didn't see it coming at all.  Ruffalo is really funny and Wood is wonderful as a major d-bag.  It's a great cast and they all bring something to the table.

Finally, the finale of the movie where Dunst's character reveals to Joel and Clementine that they had previously dated is a fantastic sequence.  The utter confusion they portray is amazing and makes me want to watch a whole movie about that.  This movie really sticks the landing on every level and gives us an extremely satisfying conclusion.


What Sucks:

I got nothing for ya.


Verdict:

My biggest problem with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is that I haven't watched it earlier in my life.  It was a wonderfully surprising experience and I enjoyed it on every level.  The story is fascinating, the entire cast is engaging, and the film nails the conclusion.  I loved every second of this film and I think it is the best 2004 has to offer.  I wish I could erase my memories of this film and watch it again knowing nothing about it.  Without a doubt, this movie has got it going on.

 10/10: Amazing