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The most captivating on-screen love stories often revolve around defeat rather than a fairy-tale ending. Love that is forfeited, unreturned, or deemed unacceptable by societal norms or circumstances beyond control. Examples include Casablanca, Brief Encounter, In the Mood for Love, The Age of Innocence, and Moonlight. However, viewed from a different perspective, these stories are impactful because they conclude with a sense of perfection, before the mundane challenges and minor conflicts of ordinary life complicate matters. Given enough time, even the romance of Before Sunrise can turn into the reality of Before Midnight.
One of the reasons why Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, now 20 years old, ranks among the best love stories of the 21st century is that it makes the unique argument that failure is an essential, precious part of romantic experience. It’s only human to want that pain to go away, but the film suggests that literally making it so would be a wish on a monkey’s paw, offering some short-term relief, perhaps, but with unanticipated long-term consequences. People usually have many more failed relationships before one that succeeds, after all, and the accumulation of experience and memory not only means something, but that meaning isn’t static. Bitter moments can turn bittersweet.
In 2004, the movie Eternal Sunshine was released and its screenwriter Charlie Kaufman was already established as a skilled poet of failures through his previous scripts for Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. These comedies focus on dysfunctional, struggling men who strive to rise above their limitations. Kaufman was a rare talent, with a unique voice that often overshadowed even the directors of his films. This may overlook the contributions of Spike Jonze, who directed Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, and Michel Gondry, who directed the lesser-known Human Nature, but both seemed to defer to Kaufman’s edgy and imaginative writing.
While Kaufman would eventually take on the role of director himself in ambitious future projects such as Synecdoche, New York and I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Eternal Sunshine showcases his talents equally as a writer alongside once again collaborator, Gondry. Together, they bring complementary and impressive contributions to the film, navigating complex themes of love and memory. Drawing on Gondry’s background as a music video innovator, particularly in incorporating in-camera effects in pieces such as Bjork’s Bachelorette and Kylie Minogue’s Come into My World, the film’s frenzied journey is given a catchy, low-budget visual flair.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind opens with a clever narrative device that circles back to the beginning at the end. As the story unfolds, we follow Joel Barish, portrayed by a subdued Jim Carrey, as he spontaneously boards a train to Montauk one morning. There, he strikes up a connection with lively Clementine (Kate Winslet) whom he meets on the train platform. Unbeknownst to them, they have actually met before and were once in a serious romantic relationship that ended bitterly. However, due to a procedure that erased their memories, they have no recollection of it, only occasional feelings of déjà vu.
This is a complex explanation for the situation. After their separation, Clementine hired a company called Lucuna, which offers a memory-erasing procedure. When Joel learns that Clementine had him erased, he follows suit. This leads to a comical session where technicians (played by Mark Ruffalo and Elijah Wood) use a colander-like device and an old computer to zap the erased areas of his brain while he is unconscious. When Joel asks the chief doctor at Lucuna (played by Tom Wilkinson) about potential brain damage, the response he receives is, “Technically, the procedure does cause brain damage.”
As the session progresses, Joel begins to recall his lost memories in a disturbed state, almost like a tumultuous daydream. He rebels against the process and takes Clementine to the depths of his mind, hoping to evade the technicians. This gives Gondry an opportunity to create vibrant and distorted scenes, as Joel’s memories are erased. The moments also give Carrey a chance to showcase his playful comedic persona, while also revealing a more sensitive side as Joel battles the lingering bitterness from their split. He struggles with the thought of no longer remembering Clementine.
“The romantic tension in Eternal Sunshine is not solely limited to the main characters, Joel and Clementine. In addition, complications arise from a love triangle involving the young secretary (portrayed by Kirsten Dunst) at the Lucuna facility, causing further chaos. There is also a sarcastic exchange between two of Joel’s friends (played by David Cross and Jane Adams) and an unsettling subplot involving a technician at Lucuna who takes advantage of Joel’s file to pursue Clementine. None of the relationships in the film appear to be content and content, a recurring theme in Charlie Kaufman’s works. Nonetheless, Eternal Sunshine manages to convey a strong sense of romance, as the brief moments of connection are enchanting and Kaufman demonstrates a secret admiration for the flawed ways in which humans find love.”
There are numerous small touches that contribute to the film’s lasting impact, much like the memories that Joel desperately holds onto: the delicate soundtrack composed by Jon Brion, who also collaborates with Beck on a stunning rendition of the Korgis’ Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime; the wintry splendor of a frozen lake and Long Island beach during the off-season; and Kaufman’s characteristic sharp dialogue that eradicates any hint of sentimentality, much like a Lucuna desktop. Eternal Sunshine celebrates the natural disorder of love, the beautiful chaos that two people can create together. It would be foolish to believe that we would want it any other way.
Source: theguardian.com
