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 The
fact that “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is an ambitious,
spellbinding and fascinating mind trip of a movie is not surprising
when you consider that it was written by Charlie Kaufman, the
imaginative screenwriter behind 1999’s eccentric “Being John Malkovich”
and 2002’s multi-layered “Adaptation.” The fact that the film
features what just may be the finest serious performance of Jim
Carrey’s career is surprising, especially since it comes so soon
after his manic, over-the-top turn in last year’s divine comedy
“Bruce Almighty.”
That’s
because for the first time since 1998’s “The Truman Show,” Carrey
delivers a convincing dramatic performance without drawing too
much attention to the fact that he’s giving a dramatic performance
(like he did with 2001’s manipulative sap-fest “The
Majestic”). Actually, that’s just the tip of the iceberg for
a movie that’s sure to land on my “Best of” list at the end of
2004 (yes, I know the night is young, but I trust my instincts).
Thanks to solid casting, a challenging structure and a provocative
message, “Eternal Sunshine” is a cerebral, bizarre and ultimately
rewarding cinematic experience that holds up under repeated viewings.
When
socially awkward Joel (Jim Carrey) discovers that his free-spirited
girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) had their tumultuous relationship
erased from her memory, he decides to go through the same procedure
to have her erased from his memory. That’s easier said than done,
and when Joel regrets his decision by trying to escape with his
memories intact, he realizes that getting someone out of your
head is a lot easier than getting her out of your heart.
Try
to imagine what would happen if Charlie Kaufman penned a big screen
version of a story by identity-challenging writer Philip K. Dick
(“Total Recall,” “Minority Report,” “Paycheck”), and you get the
idea of where “Eternal Sunshine” is going. As with his previous
movies, Kaufman captures the chaotic beauty of an identity crisis
from the mind’s point of view, but this time around, he also asks
some life-affirming questions. Among them, if you knew that your
passionate relationship was doomed to fail, would you still get
involved? More importantly, what, if anything, would you do to
change it?
After
missing the boat the first time around with Kaufman’s “Human Nature,”
director Michel Gondry nails it with “Eternal Sunshine.” What
follows is a love story that’s told in reverse, but with a trippy
“Alice in Wonderland”-style sensibility to it. Joel’s more recent
memories with Clementine are unpleasant, but the further back
he goes, we see him try to hold onto the more pleasant memories
while they quite literally disappear before our eyes. The process
is fascinating to behold, and the non-linear structure is effectively
pieced together like a cinematic Picasso painting.
Unfortunately,
the film is not without it’s flaws. For one thing, Joel and Clementine
are clearly incompatible, but one still has to wonder what they
saw in each other in the first place. In addition, Gondry’s cold,
somber tone is a stark contrast to the film’s warm, passionate
message, and the impressive centerpiece of the movie – the memory
elimination sequence – drags on to the point of self-indulgence.
(There is also a huge, gaping plot hole, but sadly, it cannot
be revealed here without spoiling a key plot twist in the story.)
Jim
Carrey’s serious, understated performance is laced with comic
undertones, which, to his credit, puts him in the same league
as Bill Murray in “Lost in Translation.” It’s also refreshing
to see the normally serious Kate Winslet play someone who is so
impulsive and feisty, but she also injects her character with
an ample amount of depth and insecurity (not to mention a rainbow’s
choice of hair colors). Though the supporting cast is a bit underdeveloped,
Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood and Tom Wilkinson bring quirky effectiveness
to the team of technicians erasing Carrey’s memory, while Kirsten
Dunst brings her usual sexy vulnerability to her character’s surprising
(and somewhat jolting) plot-turning developments.
“Eternal
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” may not be for everybody (let’s
face it, neither were “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation”),
but if you like sophisticated, ambiguous and riveting mind trips
that will stay with you for days, then this one is for you. But
more than anything, the film also serves as a reminder that from
here on in, the sun will shine very bright on Jim Carrey’s career
as a serious actor.
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