Number 90 on the top 1000 films of all time is one of Jim Carrey's more dramatic roles in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) is a shy, socially awkward man living in New York City. He quickly meets and begins a relationship with the free-spirited and extroverted Clementine Kruczyniski. (Kate Winslet) However, when Joel finds out that Clementine underwent a special treatment with a firm called Lacuna to have her memories of him removed, he decides to go through the same surgery. That is until he decides for better or worse that he wants to remember everything about Clementine. Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood and Tom Wilkinson all star in supporting roles.
This was an interesting film for me, engaging with the themes of love, loss and memory. What it truly means to love and remember someone. Is it really better to have lost and loved than to have never loved at all? This film is deeply psychological with much of it taken place in Joel's mind, as it explores his memories and hopes. For this reason, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is deeply abstract. Much of the camerawork and editing is creative and viewing this film is an experience in itself. Camera trickery is used to demonstrate Joel's fight against having his memories erased. For example, in flashbacks to Joel's childhood, there are instances of forced perspective to show childlike he really is.
Although Joel's narrative is at the centre of the film, there are a few interrelated subplots with the employees of Lacuna, which I think played well opposite the main conflict of the film. For example, Elijah Wood plays Patrick, one of Lacuna's technicians in charge of Joel's treatment, takes advantage of this situation to get closer to Clementine. Just like Joel, Patrick is also looking for love, but both characters go about it in different ways. Patrick is manipulative, pitiful and quite pathetic in how he tries to seduce Clementine.
The other subplot revolves around the other technician Stan, (Mark Ruffalo) Lacuna's receptionist Mary (Kirsten Dunst) and Lacuna's Director Howard (Tom Wilkinson.) It is revealed that whilst Mary and Stan have a good relationship, she has had an affair with Howard before having her memory erased when Howard' wife found out. I think these subplots worked well, as they brought the film back into the real world. At times, I did think it strayed a little bit too far into the confusing and the abstract, and these subplots helped to ground it more. Also, I love Tom Wilkinson whatever he's in.
The other subplot revolves around the other technician Stan, (Mark Ruffalo) Lacuna's receptionist Mary (Kirsten Dunst) and Lacuna's Director Howard (Tom Wilkinson.) It is revealed that whilst Mary and Stan have a good relationship, she has had an affair with Howard before having her memory erased when Howard' wife found out. I think these subplots worked well, as they brought the film back into the real world. At times, I did think it strayed a little bit too far into the confusing and the abstract, and these subplots helped to ground it more. Also, I love Tom Wilkinson whatever he's in.
As Jim Carrey is primarily known as a comedian, I wasn't too sure what to expect from him in a dramatic role. I've seen him in more comedic roles e.g the Riddler in Batman Forever, Stanley Ipkiss in the Mask and Count Olaf in a Series of Unfortunate Events, and I felt that he was a little over the top in most of these performances. Having said that, I thought he was brilliant in the more serious role of Truman Burbank in The Truman Show. Carrey didn't disappoint in this role, He was understated and poignant. He didn't play the role with his usual exuberance, but rather a subtle and quiet power. All credit to him for dialling it back in.
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