ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
dir: Michel Gondry
"How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! / The world forgetting, by the world forgot / Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! / Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd. " - Mary
Brief Synopsis
A man goes under an experimental procedure to erase his memories of his ex-girlfriend, but during the procedure realizes he doesn't want to forget her and attempts to hide her in memories which she doesn't belong.
Why It's Here
When the romantically challenged Joel meets the eccentric Clementine, their relationship is everything a Hollywood relationship should be. They are happy, peaceful, and contempt. But when their relationship begins to fall apart, Clementine undergoes an experimental procedure to remove Joel from her memory, in retaliation, Joel does the same.
Charlie Kaufman's script proves to be his finest in his impressive filmography. In a culture where taking the easy way out at a little extra cost is preference, "Eternal Sunshine" offers up the biggest question of all; would you be willing to forget someone completely? As the majority of the film takes place within Joel's mind in his memories as they are being wiped, he realizes that there is more good than bad and he doesn't want to forget. "Sunshine" is a powerful story of regret, loss and mistakes told in an unconventional manner splicing scenes together in a non-chronological order, where the beginning and end to the story are blurred. All while using strange and unique visual effects to convey the memories being zapped. Kaufman's great script coupled with Gondry's talented directing prove to create the most visually arresting and emotionally attaching film of each of their careers with career best performances by most of the actors in the cast.
Charlie Kaufman's script proves to be his finest in his impressive filmography. In a culture where taking the easy way out at a little extra cost is preference, "Eternal Sunshine" offers up the biggest question of all; would you be willing to forget someone completely? As the majority of the film takes place within Joel's mind in his memories as they are being wiped, he realizes that there is more good than bad and he doesn't want to forget. "Sunshine" is a powerful story of regret, loss and mistakes told in an unconventional manner splicing scenes together in a non-chronological order, where the beginning and end to the story are blurred. All while using strange and unique visual effects to convey the memories being zapped. Kaufman's great script coupled with Gondry's talented directing prove to create the most visually arresting and emotionally attaching film of each of their careers with career best performances by most of the actors in the cast.