Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind DVD > Reviews > Eternally Great!

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Good
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	Funny, serious, memorable, mesmerising !
Disadvantages:	None

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Upon seeing the trailer for this movie, I thought to myself that I wouldn’t go and see that if someone paid me! However the more times I saw the trailer and when I actually found out what the film was about, it didn’t seem like such a terrible thing after all. Furthermore, after reading the fabulous reviews the film received, I decided I would give it a go.

All I can say is 'wow!' I don’t think I’ve ever been so surprised by a film or its contents. The story basically revolves around a company called 'Lacuna Incorporated'. The company offers to erase a persons memory of a certain thing or event in their life. Bearing this in mind, we turn our attention to the two main characters in the film played by the fantastic Jim Carrey (as Joel) and the even better Kate Winslet (as Clementine).

Somewhat incredulously, Winslet for once plays the so-called 'goof-ball' character, whilst Carrey shows us all that he is a serious actor, with great acting ability. I must say that although I was already aware of the talents of Carrey, he still surpassed my expectations. He added depth to his character, using his inert ability to make himself noticed and at the same time showing us the insular character that he is portraying.

Winslet and Carrey's characters are former lovers. One day she decides to have her memory of him erased due to an argument they'd had. Upon finding this out, Carrey decides that he will have the same thing done to ease the pain of his loss.

However, whilst the memory removing sequence is in process, Carrey starts to realise that, ok he has bad memories, but at the same time he had so many good ones that he didn’t want to lose. He tries to fight against the thing he wanted in the first place.

Concurrently, we see the task being performed by Lacuna's engineer, played by Mark Ruffalo (as Stan) and with his helper played by Elijah Wood, in his first movie role since the Lord of the Rings. Also, there is Kirsten Dunst (as Mary) who plays the girlfriend of Ruffalo.

The story is lengthy and in some respects complicated. However, I felt none of this confusion during the film. I think this is down to the exemplary screenplay and writing of Charlie Kaufman coupled with smooth directing from Michael Gondry. This is one of the most visually pleasing films I have seen. This is not via any form of breathtaking scenery but more how the film is cleverly interwoven between the past and present- and Carrey's memory. One of the most distinct and long-lasting techniques (in my mind) is the use of lighting to decipher change from one memory to another or how an outside noise from one of the Lacuna employees is sensed in Carrey’s mind and then we move outside into real time.

Not only that, but also this film just simply works on so many levels that it is bound to appeal to most people. There is a point to this film and I think it can be taken in several different ways. My interpretation and I believe it is what we are being told is that love and long-term loving relationships are not perfect- far from it in fact. However, what this film so brilliantly shows us is that these so-called imperfections are really just as important in a relationship as the good things. They are needed for a relationship to work. In addition, it shows us that in any relationship, these both good and bad things will happen and we have to accept them all and will if it is true love.

It seems to me that this films works so well because at the core of it is a love story, yet not a typical love story that we repetitively see in many other movies. I simply cannot wait for the DVD! I’ve seen many different films in the last 12 months and none have touched me as much as Eternal Sunshine. I’m sure that more and more people will come to love this film as much as I have. In some ways I find it a little like Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation. That too touched my romantic side! However, there is a little more action in Eternal Sunshine for those who were a little dissatisfied with Lost in Translation for that very reason.

I think the star performer of this film is probably Kate Winslet as the effervescent Clementine. She changes her hair colours as many times as there are different scenes in the film but aside from that she is a likeable character, although I couldn’t help but feel a little hostility towards her when she erases Joel from her mind. However, Winslet plays this character to a tee. Even from the eccentricities that define her personality to the little girl that seems to be almost taking over a woman’s body! She was a perfect foil for Carrey, who himself performed outstandingly.

Overall, it would be fair to say that this is a must for any movie fan. Even if you are sceptical please see this film anyway you will be surprised, I was! This film easily deserve it’s 5 stars out of 5 I am going to give it.

Thank you for reading!