I saw Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with Claus last Firday night. I enjoyed it, though I have to admit a bit of "preaching to the converted" syndrome on this review. I am a bit of a Charlie Kaufman fan. The film revolves around the idea that a technical process can effectively remove painful memories and enable clients to live happier lives. Patients requesting the procedure experience no more brain damage than "what amounts from a hard night of drinking" and the service is performed by skilled technicians whilst they sleep. Or so they are told, and inevitably, complications ensue. The questions raised by the premise are obvious, but principly it is what is the nature of memory and how does it determine our character. If you erase a memory, are you a different person?
Like all of the filmic offspring of Kaufman's screen plays, however, the film seems to be "all in the idea" and the actual manufacture of the film is a mere rumination on that idea which is perhaps better expressed as a thesis in written form. At times like this, I am reminded of Alfred Hitchcock's comment that the film is "all in the script." Meaning that the actual creation of the shots in the film is merely a mundane technical exercise at best, performed to exacting standards by specifically trained individuals. However, where a film like Adaptation perhaps laboured under its own weight of circuitous plot high jinks (and obvious "how can this possibly end" questions) before the virtual certainty of its final swerve into Hollywood-ism as its only possible outcome, Eternal Sunshine has some gloriously chaotic and touchingly sentimental moments that tend to keep its pace and timing alive and somehow more true to the original idea. It is a love story after all. Thus, the race to the "anti-conclusion" that we all know is inevitable, is actually quite enjoyable. There are some really wonderful moments along the way, often aided by some of the best "invisable effect," visual effect shots in recent memory. One in particular that defies proper description here has Carrey exiting a bookstore (the sight of a recent tramatic memory) only to walk seemlessly into a friend's living room whilst the bookstore flickers in and out of existence - seen only by the audience. Does he know he has just lost a memory?
The ride through Joel's (Jim Carrey) rapidly deteriorating memories of his relationship with his recent girlfriend Clementine (played by Kate Winslet) as they are systematically and surrealistically erased is of course helped along by some exceptional performances by a sharp cast. Winslet is forgiven for Titanic now in my books (hardly her fault I admit, but I lay the blame nonetheless) based on this one wonderfully whacked out performance. Her version of "high maintenance" is I absolutely believeable and endearing. I loved Mark Ruffalo's stoner technician, with the most outlandish "bed head" known to man. Not the sort of performance to build a career around, but he was amazing nonetheless. Tom Wilkinson and Kirsten Dunst both turn in measured and exemplary performances that play off their established screen personas. Carrey is totally watchable and quite engrosing as the sometimes funny, mostly sad Joel. In hindsight, it is Carrey's proper break out from straight up comedy into the seldom inherited territory of "comedian and dramatic actor" a la Robin Williams. He has really stretched out in this film and I hope it is the sign of amazing things to come.
Those expecting a truly "indie" weird out experience will be disappointed, as the guts of the story just don't support that kind of experimentation, and Michel Gondry's direction is just too damned stylish! What I can't stand is all the complaints from reviewers about requiring "immense patience" with the story due to its jigsaw puzzle structure. These are the same reviewers who complain that a film like Van Helsing is nothing but pulpy bubble gum and squeal for more. Yet, when they have to work a bit, they get tired and complain of "hard going." I say "pipe it, you!" Those looking for a lovely bit of offbeat love story, you have found it in this film.
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