Review of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Jim Carrey goes low-key in this inspired and dreamlike film. Broken and pained by a lost relationship, he chooses to erase Clementine (Winslet) from his memories without thinking of the consequences. A great, wildly inventive screenplay by Kaufman and ethereal visuals by Gondry put this film on just about every favorite list I see, and mine is no exception. Watching Joel and Clementine dissolve each other into nothing and seeing them struggle to reconnect is simply heart-wrenching and, despite everything, hopeful. Because as they get closer and closer to oblivion, they realize how much they truly cherish the memories they shared. The love that was so strong before reveals how fragile it is under the pressure of pettiness and bickering, but it remains eternal.