Reviewed by Wilson
Oscar-winning oddball screenwriter Charlie Kaufman is set to debut his newest film I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS on Netflix in September, so I thought now would be as good a time as any to revisit what I believe is his best work: ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (also streaming on Netflix).
Joel Barish (JIM CARREY) and Clementine Kruczynski (KATE WINSLET) meet on a train to Montauk, spend the day together, and immediately start falling for one another. Clem insists she has met Joel before; Joel doesn’t think so. We later learn that they have dated for years, broke up, and both underwent a memory-erasing procedure to forget the other existed.
Hold the phone; what?
Yes, in the world of ETERNAL SUNSHINE such a procedure exists and is in fact quite popular. Lacuna, Inc. promises that you will be able to erase painful memories from your mind – a bad breakup, the death of a beloved pet, or anything else you want to forget – in just one night. “Is there any risk of brain damage?” Joel asks the doctor. “Well, technically speaking the procedure is brain damage. But it’s on par with a night of heavy drinking; nothing you’ll miss.”
Joel decides to go through with it and the bulk of the movie takes place in Joel’s mind, reliving the memories for a few moments just before they’re erased. We see the entirety of he and Clementine’s relationship: the day they meet, their first fight, what must be their fiftieth fight, and more.
But not all of the memories are bad, and partway through the procedure Joel gets cold feet. He and the version of Clementine that his subconscious projects (remember: we’re in his mind; the Clementine he talks to in his mind isn’t really her, just his memory of her) devise a plan to botch the procedure so he can remember her come daylight, find her, and rekindle the romance. So they “go off the map”, much to the confusion of both the procedure technician (MARK RUFFALO), his girlfriend (KIRSTEN DUNST), and the doctor they call out of bed to handle the situation (TOM WILKINSON).
The plot summary must end there, but the film itself is both deeply narrative and deeply thematic. That’s the wizardry of Kaufman’s writing style. As a writer, he is concerned with both memory and questions of reality. Does Joel love Clementine, or just the version of Clementine he talks to in his head? Would they be happier if they just forgot each other or are they just doomed to repeat the same failed relationship again and again? As a multi-layered text, this is one of the richest screenplays you’ll ever see brought to screen.
The film’s performances are superb, including and especially CARREY who turns in the best dramatic performance of his career (nudging out his turn as Truman Burbank in THE TRUMAN SHOW). WINSLET received an Oscar nomination for her performance in this film and the rest of the cast (including the not-yet-mentioned ELIJAH WOOD) all turn in stellar supporting performances.
This film is not straightforward. It demands and greatly awards attentive viewing. But if you are looking for something out of the norm, this beautiful meditation on love and memory will satisfy.
• Rating: 5 out of a possible 5
• ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND is rated R for language, some drug and sexual content.
Interested in watching this movie tonight? Here’s how:
Netflix
• Open the Hulu streaming platform on your streaming service provider (such as Smart TV, Roku, computer)
• Search for ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND in the search bar. Select the video.
• The film is free to watch with your subscription of Netflix.
Amazon
• Open the Amazon streaming platform on your streaming service provider (such as Smart TV, Roku, computer)
• Search for ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND in the search bar. Select the video.
• Click “Rent Movie” in HD for $3.99
Google Play
• Open the Google Play streaming platform on your streaming service provider (such as Smart TV, Roku, computer)
• Search for ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND in the search bar. Select the video.
• Click “Rent Movie” in HD for $3.99
Meet our movie reviewer
“Wilson” is an alias for this reviewer, taken from Wilson the volleyball in CAST AWAY (2000). Wilson has been an avid movie watcher for more than a decade, with hundreds of movies viewed in that time ranging from classics of American cinema to international and independent features. Wilson’s writing is inspired by the film criticism of Roger Ebert.
