Forums > Social Discussion > Film review: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Login/Join to Participate

flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
I saw this film last night and loved it so much that I had to write something about it. This is my first ever film review - sorry if it's gappy.





Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind



This film is a story of Joel and Clementine – a modern couple with modern issues. Joel is a nice guy, if a little boorish and emotionally retarded. Clementine is “just a censored up girl trying to find her own way,” a character of light, colour and communication.



We meet Joel and Clementine at what we are shown as their first meeting, a chance encounter on a frosty beach in February. Compelled towards each other, we are shown their relationship quickly developing and as quickly disintegrating. Clementine has opted for a procedure to erase all memory of Joel from her mind. Joel, devastated and in emotional turmoil chooses to reciprocate and the erasure of Clementine begins. It is, at this point, that we share the beauty and pain of their developing relationship as Joel, lucid within his subconscious as he desperately tries to hold onto the memories; trying to escape the erasure with Clementine in tow. He takes her to his childhood memories, he takes her to his memories of humiliation and pain, yet still the she disappears. The audience realises that there is more to this story when we are shown how Joel and Clementine met – not on a frosty February morning. Questions start formulating….



Eventually, morning comes and the procedure of erasing Clementine from Joel’s memory is complete. We are taken back to the first scene in the movie when Joel awakes and impulsively jumps on a train to the beach. It is now that we are shown that Joel and Clementine had met long prior to our initial belief, and this chance meeting on the beach actually occurs the very morning that Joel erased Clementine.



The film closes with Joel and Clementine both being made aware of their mutual erasure, listening to the audio tapes of their mutual grievances. We see them armed with the knowledge that they are likely to end up despising each other, she finding him boring and pathetic, him finding her needy and manipulative, however they choose to accept their fate…



There are many themes that developed throughout the film, however I was particularly struck by these few:



Relationships Aren’t Perfect: Refreshingly, this film gave an accurate description of modern relationships; petty arguments, deep communication, recurring issues. It was great to see realistic portrayals of all the interrelationships within Endless Sunshine, rather then the perfect glossy nonsense film-makers usually expect us to swallow.



Beauty Within The Pain: Although Joel was torn apart by the ending of the relationship, he realised that many of the memories of Clementine were beautiful and he had to hold onto them. Life is painful, life is beautiful and our interrelationships cause us more suffering than anything else, but they also provide us with absolute magic. Perfect memories of perfect experiences. Releasing the inner child, making love, dreaming up grand plans, receiving comfort. This movie reinforced my own beliefs that, despite what turmoil a relationship is almost certainly going to provide, the beauty and experiences shared with a lover by far outweigh this possibility and should be treasured. You can’t have one without the other. Life is a balance and relationships provide this balance.



This film shows us that, essentially, all we have is memories and when they're gone, we're gone.



DAMMIT! I had included a beautiful paragraph on Plato's Symposium here, but it appears as though I've messed up my copy and paste and have since deleted my initial document... maybe will rewrite at another point in time.





5 flashy stars

sunny

EDITED_BY: flash fire (1084151124)

HoP Posting Guidelines
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
If you can answer YES to these 4 questions then you may post a reply.


TheBovrilMonkeySILVER Member
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England


Posted:

I loved this film too.

erm, not much else to add really, other than it's one of the few films I've seen recently that I'd gladly pay to go see again.

But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.


Bender_the_OffenderGOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Quote:


I loved this film too.

erm, not much else to add really, other than it's one of the few films I've seen recently that I'd gladly pay to go see again.



...so when this week are yoo free? smile

Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always


GottaLoveItSponge
883 posts
Location: Stevenage


Posted:
It is a great movie, I think they carried on the ending a bit too far, I think if they cut it after his memories were gone it would be great, cause everyone would be so confused they'd have to watch it all again to understand it, that was the point where I got it, and although it's nice to see the conselation and what not I knew what was coming and kinda got bored... but it's definately one I'd buy... must buy the last samurai now it's out too smile Yay!

I lurve movies!

Anyone know who directed it?

Monkeys monkeys and bananas


flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
The screenplay was written by Charlie Kaufman - the same guy that did Being John Malkovic and Adaptation (two other awesome films) and was directed by Michel Gondry (from Bjork, White Stripes & Radiohead music videos). These two had also collaborated to do Human Nature a few years back. Methinks I like these two creatives!

HoP Posting Guidelines
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
If you can answer YES to these 4 questions then you may post a reply.


Bender_the_OffenderGOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
thanks for your thread mizz fire, it was the tantalising kick i needed.
such a beautiful movie that allowed me a newer, more objective perspective on why i should let go of things that were once beautiful.
smile
ps Kate Winslet gunna sell alotta hair dye!!

Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always


robotfacemember
190 posts

Posted:
Quote:

The screenplay was written by Charlie Kaufman - the same guy that did Being John Malkovic and Adaptation (two other awesome films) and was directed by Michel Gondry (from Bjork, White Stripes & Radiohead music videos). These two had also collaborated to do Human Nature a few years back. Methinks I like these two creatives!




Ok you just sold me on this film, will try to see it.

MoohaahaaBRONZE Member
enthusiast
382 posts
Location: In Ger Land, India


Posted:
I just saw this yesterday and it is absolutely marvelous.
'Tis kind of similar to Being John Malkovich, in that it puts a really weird concept in everyday life (memory erasing) and makes it seem reasonably normal, and then uses this idea to explore a part of human emotions. In this case love and relationships.

Jim Carey is really good in it, and Kate Winslet makes a suprisingly good American.
Go watch biggrin

Some things you have to see to believe, but
Some things you have to believe in to see.



Similar Topics

Using the keywords [film review eternal sunshine spotles * mind] we found the following existing topics.

  1. Forums > Film review: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind [7 replies]

      Show more..

HOP Newsletter

Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more...