Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, and Mark Ruffalo.
Directed by Michel Gondry.

SUMMARY
There is an office that is performing a special service to people. It is offering to erase certain events, or people, from their clients' minds. Had a bad relationship? You can have that person erased. This is exactly what Joel experiences when he finds that his ex, Clem, has had him erased. He decides to go through the same procedure, but has second thoughts while the service is being performed. He ends up embarking on a very strange adventure of trying to hide Clem in safe places in his mind and memory, so that she will not be erased.

REVIEW
This movie deals with a common question: Is it better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all? However, it deals with it in such a unique and creative way, that it is hard not to find it incredibly engaging and interesting. It is sometimes very funny, but it is far from a comedy. It is very dramatic and often heart-wrenching. Characters are flawed and sometimes worthy of spite. It seems the the writer desired to deal with the quest for love and happiness in the context of people who are not immediately admirable. However, they do become increasingly accepted into our hearts as we watch. The ending leaves much room for thought and decision on the part of the viewer. Some may see it as increibly pessimistic, while others might view it as being a bit too hopeful. Perhaps that ambiguity is intentional.

QUESTION FOR THOUGHT
How do we move on from the hurts in our lives? Are we supposed to move on and get over it? How much do they define us, and should they? For anyone who is like me and struggles with bitterness, these are big questions. Can I hold onto this pain in a way that is right? I know I can do it in a way that is wrong and destructive. Can we move on too quickly, though?

OVERALL
I loved this movie, even though at times it was painful to watch. As a warning, there is a lot of bad language. This is unfortunate, but it is also part of the mood of the movie and the characters. I'm not an overly artistic person, but I appreciate originality, and this movie exudes originality. It also has a depth to it that is lacking in many movies that claim to deal with the human condition.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5 possible.