2008 Woodie Awards
You won't want to erase your memories of Eternal Sunshine
Anna Tawfik
Issue date: 4/8/04 Section: Entertainment
"Would you erase me?" serves as the tagline for Michel Gondry's (of Bjork music video fame) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
This is exactly what Joel Barish's (Jim Carrey) ex-girlfriend, Clementine Kruczynski, does to him after an argument. Joel's blue-haired ingénue (Kate Winslet, who loses her English accent for the role) is his polar opposite in nearly every regard, including her fascination with her collection of potato dolls.
The nearly inexhaustible vibrancy of Clementine serves as the perfect tableau to paint Joel against, as he is unadorned.
Hilarity and complications ensue as Joel undergoes the same procedure to erase her with the help of Dr. Howard Mierzwiak.
It is during the "brain map" process, performed by Clementine's current boyfriend, Patrick (Elijah Wood), that Joel realizes he does not want to forever lose these memories of his ex as he relives each memory with her from most recent backwards.
With a cameo from David Cross of the television show, Arrested Development, you are sure to laugh. Especially at the insane antics that Clementine and Joel go through as they try to outrun "the erasers" by going to places they are sure to not find them: Joel's childhood and the humiliation portion of his brain.
Without giving away too much, we learn that Clementine and Joel are not the only ones who have had this "brain damaging" process done to erase a selected portion of his/her brain.
This dark comedy is a mixture of suspense (Will Joel be able to wake up in time to stop the process from completely eliminating Clementine from his brain?), humor, and brain-teasing disjunctive directing as well as plot.
Overall, the movie is a must-see that will leave you pondering the question, "Would you completely and utterly obliterate a person from your mind?"
The query posed by the Alexander Pope poem where the title of the movie originates, seems like a simple one, but after seeing this movie you might have to think twice.
This is exactly what Joel Barish's (Jim Carrey) ex-girlfriend, Clementine Kruczynski, does to him after an argument. Joel's blue-haired ingénue (Kate Winslet, who loses her English accent for the role) is his polar opposite in nearly every regard, including her fascination with her collection of potato dolls.
The nearly inexhaustible vibrancy of Clementine serves as the perfect tableau to paint Joel against, as he is unadorned.
Hilarity and complications ensue as Joel undergoes the same procedure to erase her with the help of Dr. Howard Mierzwiak.
It is during the "brain map" process, performed by Clementine's current boyfriend, Patrick (Elijah Wood), that Joel realizes he does not want to forever lose these memories of his ex as he relives each memory with her from most recent backwards.
With a cameo from David Cross of the television show, Arrested Development, you are sure to laugh. Especially at the insane antics that Clementine and Joel go through as they try to outrun "the erasers" by going to places they are sure to not find them: Joel's childhood and the humiliation portion of his brain.
Without giving away too much, we learn that Clementine and Joel are not the only ones who have had this "brain damaging" process done to erase a selected portion of his/her brain.
This dark comedy is a mixture of suspense (Will Joel be able to wake up in time to stop the process from completely eliminating Clementine from his brain?), humor, and brain-teasing disjunctive directing as well as plot.
Overall, the movie is a must-see that will leave you pondering the question, "Would you completely and utterly obliterate a person from your mind?"
The query posed by the Alexander Pope poem where the title of the movie originates, seems like a simple one, but after seeing this movie you might have to think twice.