Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Sometimes, a film comes along of such wonderful complexity that you want to see it more than once. In 2004, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was released. Directed by Michel Gondry, it starred Jim Carrey and Kate Winslett and an excellent supporting cast. It can best be described, as a romantic drama but there is nothing sentimental about it. It is a study of modern relationships and the importance of memory is central to the plot.
Carrey plays Joel who has a relationship with Clementine, (Winslett). They get involved in an experimental procedure that erases memories. When the relationship flounders, they participate in the procedure, wiping out the memory of each other. This is no simple solution and the consequences lead to a complicated story of time shift as the audience is taken back and forth through different times in their romance. The story is not too complicated however and it never becomes difficult to follow. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a thoughtful movie with moments of humor and pathos.
British actor Tom Wilkinson plays the doctor responsible for the experiment, Dr Mierzwaik. The cast also includes Elijah Wood and Kirsten Dunst. All the actors are impressive and Carrey, still associated with his zany, comic roles, gives a very subtle and moving performance. The title, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, is a quote from a poem by Alexander Pope. It was shot on location, mainly in New York City and Long Island.
French director Michel Gondry is well known for producing music videos and his movie credits include Block Party from 2005 and the recently released Be Kind Rewind with Jack Black. The film won the Best Original Screenplay Academy Award and Kate Winslett was nominated for Best Actress. The Grammy Awards gave a nomination for the Best Score Soundtrack Album. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind became something of a cult and even received attention from the writers of The Simpsons TV show, who wrote a parody surrounding it.
The film is available on DVD in full screen and wide screen editions. The Special Edition 2-Disc Set of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind includes an audio commentary by Gondry and co-writer Charlie Kaufman and interviews with Carrey, Winslett and Gondry. The extras also include various documentaries, deleted scenes and extended scenes. The movie also appears on DVD with Lost in Translation and with Vanity Fair. The CD soundtrack is also available for sale and includes songs by Beck, The Polyphonic Spree, Don Nelson and Electric Light Orchestra.
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