Is it true that love can take you anywhere wherever you go? Is it also true that such guilt and pain inside can make love very complicated? Well, I guess those two questions are the focus to this film called “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, and right now I’m gonna say it, this is one of the best films of the last decade of 2000’s. I already seen this film once, but very disappointed by it because I don’t know where I’m going or what I am into. Now, this is my 2nd viewing, and this time, it made more sense and gave me more and more lessons about love, while also reminding me of some films that I’ve seen before that almost relates to this film, like “Inception”, and “Adjustment Bureau”, that I think this movie is more sophisticated than those 2. Enough said to this, I’m gonna talk about the whole plot. It stars Jim Carrey, in his other great role as in “Truman Show” and “Majestic”, and Kate Winslet, in her also other memorable performance like in “Titanic” and “Reader”. These two seems to be opposites or not match but out of everything that we see throughout the film, it seems that these two are very fitted to each other. The most exciting part of this film is when Clementine (Winslet) erases Joel (Carrey) in her mind like they never met at all, so does Joel, he did the same thing as to Clementine. Now, this sounds very complicated but later you will understand it more. Also we have some other supporting characters here from the place where Joel and Clementine erases each others memories, we have the doctor, played by Tom Wilkinson, and his other assistants, played by Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, and Kirsten Dunst. And now, this is where it begins, we have to see a lot more dream sequences and weird moments that of course we know are all Joel’s memories, and again those eraser people are the bad people AGAIN, and no matter what, these two still love each other. And also what I noticed is that it actually ends on how it starts, so meaning it goes on and on and on without a limit, so that makes it more fun than very confusing. What also this movie shows is not about Joel and Clementine, but also some other people’s stories on love as told to those people in that erasing center or Lacuna, whatever it is? And above all, everything else is perfect, nice story, nice cast with great performances, nice and perfect effective use of lighting and color, and of course, great direction. I give you one example on perfect use of lighting and color, look at Clementine’s hair at any scene of the film, the color of her hair tells us about her mood or her mood with Joel, that’s a nice one!
Before I end this, why is it on the great movies list? Well, to tell you the truth, this is I know the movie that goes anywhere and everywhere just to find the meaning of true love without suffering on any pain or guilt. And to some romance films that I saw lately, it’s beyond imaginative and insightful than watching two people meet and greet and broke up and fell in love again, that’s kinda boring to say and very repetitive story, unlike this one, it is smart, and all of the characters know what they’re doing, so does the director, he knows how keep track of the film without losing the characters.
Once again, “Eternal Sunshine”, is really one of the influential and valuable romance film in the last decade, I just think if in few years they would make a film the same plot as this one, I would say that’s really impossible because this film is impossible to copy or steal it’s craftiness or the perfection of its actors. This is a masterpiece! Truly a great movie!