Plot
A couple undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories when their relationship turns sour, but it is only through the process of loss that they discover what they had to begin with.
Release Year: 2004
Rating: 8.5/10 (305,704 voted)
Critic's Score: 89/100
Director:
Michel Gondry
Stars: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson
Storyline A man, Joel Barish, heartbroken that his girlfriend Clementine underwent a procedure to erase him from her memory, decides to do the same. However, as he watches his memories of her fade away, he realizes that he still loves her, and may be too late to correct his mistake.
Writers: Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry
Cast: Jim Carrey
-
Joel Barish
Kate Winslet
-
Clementine Kruczynski
Gerry Robert Byrne
-
Train Conductor
Elijah Wood
-
Patrick
Thomas Jay Ryan
-
Frank
Mark Ruffalo
-
Stan
Jane Adams
-
Carrie
David Cross
-
Rob
Kirsten Dunst
-
Mary
Tom Wilkinson
-
Dr. Mierzwiak
Ryan Whitney
-
Young Joel
Debbon Ayer
-
Joel's Mother
Amir Ali Said
-
Young Bully
Brian Price
-
Young Bully
Paulie Litt
-
Young Bully
(as Paul Litowski)
Filming Locations: 123 Valentine Lane, Yonkers, New York, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $20,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $8,175,198
(USA)
(21 March 2004)
(1353 Screens)
Gross: $34,126,138
(USA)
(20 June 2004)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
To help promote the movie, a fully functional website was created for Lacuna (http://www.lacunainc.com) purporting to provide memory erasure. The only giveaway is the link to watch Joel Barish "experience the procedure", which links to the movie's official site.
Goofs:
Continuity:
In the scene where Mary first comes into Joel's apartment, Patrick and Stan had been drinking beer. At first, just before the door is opened, they are both Rolling Rock (green bottles). After she has entered, Stan's beer turns into a Labatt Blue (brown bottle).
Quotes:
[first lines]
Joel:
[voice over]
random thoughts for Valentine's day, 2004. Today is a holiday invented by greeting card companies to make people feel like crap.
User Review
Meet me in Montauk...
Rating: 10/10
How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! The world forgetting, by the
world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! Each pray'r
accepted, and each wish resign'd. -- Alexander Pope
==> I confess to being an idealist and a romantic. This type of film
appeals to people like me... the ones who believe in love at first
sight, soul mates, destiny, yada yada yada. The Charlie Kaufman penned
'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' is as fresh and original as
some of his other screenplays (Being John Malkovich, Human Nature,
Adaptation), but adds a romantic depth that makes this one of the most
complete film going experiences I have ever had.
There was an exchange during the film between our two leads, Joel and
Clementine, played with poignancy and nuance by Jim Carrey and Kate
Winslet, that echoed what I was feeling about the film.
Clementine: This is it Joel. It's going to be gone soon.
Joel: I know.
Clementine: What do we do?
Joel: Enjoy it.
Luckily for me, I knew I was going to be able to revisit the film many
times in my life. The depth of the film manifests itself in the fact
that the soul mates, Joel and Clem, both know that their time is
running out and that they will never be able to meet again.
Most films might choose to highlight this type of heartbreak with the
death of a loved one or a bittersweet farewell at a train station. But
not Charlie Kaufman. He is bored by clichés. Rather, he chooses to
dazzle us with the complexities of the human mind and all of its
glorious possibilities. He is a master storyteller that is unlike any
other I am aware of.
Joel (Carrey) is socially inept. He has had girlfriends, but none that
really meant anything. It is as if he has never had a significant
relationship of any kind. But, one day, he meets Clementine. "Don't
make any jokes about my name", she warns him. She is wild and kooky,
changing her hair color from red to orange to blue to green depending
on her current mood. She seems the polar opposite of Joel, but they
click. They click in ways even they can't pinpoint. But from the moment
they meet, they know there is something special there.
However, after a silly argument breaks up their relationship,
Clementine decides to visit Lacuna Inc., a company that specializes in
wiping troubling memories away forever. She has decided to erase the
memory of Joel. When Joel hears this from some friends, he angrily
decides to do the same to Clementine, erasing her completely from his
mind.
The erasing process involves a mapping of the memories and an all night
process of erasure that is "technically brain damage", according to the
doctor. The bulk of the film takes place during the process, inside
Joel's mind. The most recent memories are first to go and we watch as
they slowly disappear into nothingness. Those recent memories are
bitter as we witness the arguments and the boredom of their
relationship. But as the time rewinds, the memories get better. We
travel backwards and watch Joel and Clem during their best moments,
loving life and loving each other. As this happens, Joel desperately
regrets his decision. He wants the inevitable erasure to stop, but he
is completely powerless. Soon she will be gone and he won't even
remember that he forgot her. The film focuses on his attempts to foil
the process and retain some of her in the recesses of his mind.
'Eternal Sunshine' is directed by Michel Gondry who also helmed 'Human
Nature'. He has a flare that accompanies Kaufman's words with perfect
symmetry. This film bounces around on its timeline almost hysterically,
but the director never lets us get lost. We always feel in control of
our senses and our emotions. It is a tribute to Carrey and Winslet that
they were able to do the same.
Jim Carrey has pulled off a rather remarkable transformation that I
would have deemed impossible a decade ago. He is becoming a brilliant
actor with qualities that resemble Jimmy Stewart and Tom Hanks. He is a
fabulous everyman who is sympathetic and knowing, interesting and kind.
He deserves tremendous praise for this role. Kate Winslet is
consistently brilliant in every film. She is easily one of the very
best actresses we have. Here she plays against type, and embodies a
fascinating woman who craves attention but needs intimacy. Hers is a
beautiful performance that will go overlooked. It is easy to understand
why Joel falls in love with Clementine.
I think fans of Charlie Kaufman will be thrilled with this brilliant
entry in to his collection. I think the film will appeal to those who
loved the recent masterpiece 'Lost in Translation' or Tom Tykwer's
recent beauty, 'Heaven'. It is a romantic fantasy with real emotions
and real characters that will resonate with the viewer who isn't
entirely closed to sentiment. When Clementine whispers "Meet me in
Montauk" into Joel's ear... it's hard to hold back a tear.
This will easily be one of the best films of 2004. It is the antithesis
of the typical romantic Hollywood fare. I loved every minute of its
refreshing originality. The film has passion and flare and brilliant
wit, all framed by an intelligent script that deals in absurdity while
managing to maintain an intimate realism. These characters feel real.
You root for them. You want them to meet again and give it another
chance. It is a film that will only get better over time, as our memory
of it waxes and wanes its way into our hearts.
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