Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2004
I approached this movie with some apprehension. I had heard very little about it, but it was positive at least. Also I’ve never been a big fan of Jim Carrey as any kind of serious actor. He’s funny in Dumb and Dumber and Ace Ventura, but he has been hammy in other movies like Cable Guy and The Truman Show. Lastly, I was a little disappointed by Adaptation which was Charlie Kaufmann’s follow-up to Being John Malkovich (which I really liked).
This is an original screenplay by Charlie Kaufmann and not in any way a Jim Carrey movie. Instead it’s a real ensemble work with a talented cast of good characters. Kate Winslett is excellent without being too serious as Carrey’s love interest. And a company that provides a service erasing memories is well staffed by Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Wilkinson, and even Elijah Wood.
Part of the appeal is that this isn’t about “true love” in the movie sense where there can be no doubt. Life isn’t like that, and neither is this movie. Nor is breaking up always intense and traumatic. Sometimes people drift apart and the door is closed but not slammed shut.
The characters are good and Jim Carrey and Kate Winslett are an interesting choice. Instead of two young people, you get more weathered people who have been hurt by relationships in the past. Jim Carrey is pretty normal and honestly could have been played by any number of actors, but it is still a good role and a good performance. Kate Winslett’s role is more challenging, having to be someone we like but who is also flawed, but she’s able to do that. The other supporting roles all need a certain spark and Mark Ruffalo who was so good in You Can Count on Me is again very good in a somewhat less serious role.
The writing is very good without being overpowering. There is a lot of quiet humor and a lot of quirkiness, but not over the top like in Being John Malkovich. As you see a relationship bloom and fade, Kaufmann puts together the pieces nicely. Not too syrupy, not too painful. That takes a lot of talent. While the movie may be a little too odd for some, I enjoyed watching the pieces fall in place and appreciated the different layers. Movies like this don’t come along every day and are rarely so consistent all the way through. I’ll give it an A.
Owned on: Blu-ray, DVD, Digital