If you were given the opportunity to erase someone from your memory, would you take it? Especially if that certain someone was an ex who you ended on bad terms with? This is the center focus for the movie, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” Michel Gondry’s drama that offers a refreshingly realistic depiction of modern day romance. Even though I am late to the party, having only watched it for the first time a couple of days ago, I find myself to be truly moved by the film. Through the genuine connection established by the two lead characters onscreen, I was able to see love differently, as the film portrays the true ups-and-downs of realistic relationships while deviating away from the generic lovey-dovey crap Hollywood has a tendency of producing.
The story centers around two people, Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet), who begin a relationship after meeting on a train. However, unbeknownst to either of them, they were past lovers who, after experiencing their relationship fall apart, opted to have specialists remove the memories they each had of one another. The story jumps back to the past and centers on Joel who becomes trapped in his own mind as technicians work to get rid of the many memories he had shared with Clementine. As the viewer travels through Joel's memories with him, they witness his relationship with Clementine ending on volatile terms. However, as Joel journies even further down memory lane, the viewer is shown that despite the arguments, the duo shared an undeniably strong bond of love and trust. Joel sees the loving connection they once shared and immediately regrets his decision to have her erased from his mind, but it soon becomes too late.
The sheer brilliance of this film comes from certain scenes that depict the subtle beauty of the small moments in life that can often be overlooked and underappreciated due to the hectic, fast-paced lifestyles that are prominent in today’s society. For instance, sharing secrets with a loved one under the covers or playfully running around on a beach with them can easily be taken for granted. The movie effectively demonstrates the idea of always appreciating everything one has, whether they be big or small because it could all be gone in a moment's notice.
Furthermore, Joel and Clementine’s love story portrays what actual relationships go through and breaks Hollywood's "cookie cutter" formula for romance. They argue, have disagreements, and even become annoyed at each other for minor actions (like loud chewing). Nonetheless, the relationship captures aspects apparent in everyday romances and offers up the notion that it is alright to fight with a significant other once in awhile; every normal couple does it. Although most people ideally want to have the cutesy, happy-go-lucky relationship like those demonstrated in most modern Hollywood rom-coms, it can never be achieved because no relationship is perfect and it shouldn't have to be. Lovers will always find something to disagree on and that's just a normal part of everyday life. It doesn't mean they should go about changing the other person in order to mold them to their standards; true love is about appreciating all the good qualities of the other person while also being able to accept and look past all of their faults, as well.
However, if a relationship doesn't work out it shouldn't be cast away as useless or a waste of time. The arguments and negative memories stemmed from any stable relationship has a way of providing emotional growth and can be beneficial to a person. Though some may want to erase the complete thought of their exes out of their mind, it is important to realize that there will always be special memories that were shared in the past that should always be cherished. As for those memories that are less favorable, it should be looked back at as a learning experience, offering a person a chance to develop inner growth and be more understanding of themselves and their desires. Unfortunately, Joel learns too late about all the wonderful and unique moments he had with Clementine and eventually erases her from his mind. Ultimately, the two (having now forgotten each other) decide to start anew with their relationship, leaving the viewer to question if they will live happily ever after or be trapped in the same cycle of falling out of love.
With a beautiful score from Jon Brion coupled with the breathtakingly gorgeous cinematography by Ellen Kuras to bring Charlie Kaufman's Oscar-winning script to life, it is no wonder why “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces to have been created in modern day cinema.
