Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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386 of 412 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"I DON'T WANT THIS ANYMORE!!!", October 16, 2004
When you hear the basic storyline of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," it sounds like another one of those "wacky" romantic comedies that they love to put out every month. However, when you realize that this is written by Charlie Kaufman (who also wrote "Adaptation" and "Being John Malkovich"), then you know that this will be a very different movie. This is such an enjoyable, hilarious and a brutally honest film that has immediately become a favorite of mine.
Jim Carrey plays "Joel;" a quiet and shy person who keeps to himself most of the time. He's bummed out when he discovers that his girlfriend had a new procedure done in where she has erased him from her memory. Not knowing what else to do, Joel decides that he must get the same thing done to him and goes to the clinic to have her erased from his memory, hoping that the pain and sadness will go away. When he's undergoing the procedure, unconscious and reliving the memories as they are being erased, Joel begins to realize that there were some very happy moments he had with her and he doesn't want to lose them after all.
It's really hard to categorize a movie like this. While it is indeed a comedy on some levels, it has a lot of dramatic elements to it, as well. Because of this, people will either fall in love with it or despise every minute of it. What really struck home with me is how honest and creative it really is. You'll find a lot more honesty and truth in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" than in most of the "cute" comedies that are out there today. It is extremely easy to relate to the characters, and that is what makes it all the more realistic for us. Jim Carrey is absolutely fantastic in this, as he is very controlled and doesn't try to steal the show. This is when you really get to see his acting skills shine. Kate Winslet takes the challenge of playing opposite of Carrey head-on and succeeds every single time. We cannot forget about Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst and Tom Wilkinson, who also make the movie that much more entertaining.
What I really admire about the movie is the theme of it, and that is that just because a relationship doesn't work out in the end, it doesn't mean that it was time wasted. Sure, there are certain memories we wish would go away somehow, but how would that change us as a person if we could do such a thing? We learn from our experiences; from the good and the bad. That's how we mature as human-beings, and Kaufman's clever writing really establishes that perfectly. The DVD has some cool extras, such as behind-the-scenes documentaries, audio commentary from the writer and the director, deleted scenes and more.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" remains the best film to come out of 2004 for me. It's strange, yet clever; funny yet sad, and imaginative, yet honest. If you're looking for a risk-taking film that is like a breath of fresh air, then I highly recommend this excellent picture. This can possibly be the best movie of Jim Carrey's career. Take a chance and find out why so many people are raving about it in the first place. -Michael Crane
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171 of 200 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just when you thought romantic comedies were unoriginal ..., March 10, 2004
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, which I saw tonight in an advance screening, is the most twisted, original romantic comedy I've seen in a long time. Coming from the mind of Charlie Kaufman, this film is luckily more in the vein of BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and ADAPTATION than HUMAN NATURE.The film, which operates on the premise that people can delete bad relationships from their memories, travels essentially backward down its story's timeline. It examines several key themes regarding compatibility, fate and how our memories can make up who we are. Jim Carrey, who plays his role of Joel straight rather than wacky, delivers his best and most human performance since THE TRUMAN SHOW. But the movie, thankfully, belongs to Kate Winslet. As Clementine, the girlfriend who Joel wants to either love or forget, Winslet is wacky, colorful and hilarious - the sort of girl you want to either love or strangle. While their central story plays out mostly within Joel's brain, several equally interesting subplots emerge involving the memory-erasing workers played by Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood and Tom Wilkinson. The thing I like best about Charlie Kaufman scripts is that I don't always know where they're going but, in the end, they cover all their bases, address all the philosophical questions inherent in their twisted plots and always leave me entertained. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND is a terrific movie.
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30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
makes you appreciate life.. every second of it, March 11, 2004
I've never submitted a review before, cause I never had a reason to. I was lucky that I got a chance to see the sneak preview. I had no idea what it was about before seeing it. I think sometimes it's better that way. Nothing was given away before it was meant to, and you have no false expectations before seeing the movie. It is, by far, one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. And there were some good ones in the past few years. It makes you really appreciate life, all the good and all the bad, and it will move you if you've ever been in a relationship. But in general anyone should and could appreciate this movie. It has some neat special effects that isn't over the top. Very appropriate and subtle that simply compliments the movie. It's a thinking movie, in that afterwards it gives you a different perspective on your current, past, and maybe future relationship (if you still remember by that time). And I think it's for the better. I don't want to give anything away, and ruin your experience with the movie. Go with an open mind. You'll enjoy it, I promise.
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