Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a fictional take on the desires of man having the ability to erase all the causes of distress in one’s life. Michel Gondry is a French filmmaker that resides in Versailles, France where he was born, on May 8, 1963, and raised. He began his cinematic adventure when he debuted in 2001 for his first featured film Human Nature but had more success in the following film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. His inspiration to create such a visually compelling story came from Alexander Pope’s 1717 poem “Eloisa to Abelard”. In the case of his prolific main character, Joel Barish (Jim Carey) conflicts were derived from and caused by his long-time lover Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet). Constant battles between peace and chaos soon close in on the couple, leaving nothing but resentments and heartache. As the story starts on a somewhat confusing foot, it grows into a daring adventure to undo the things that are fated to stay. Joel is suddenly slapped with a notice that his former lover had her mind erased from him, and to “get back” at her, he runs to the place of business where Clementine had all her memories of hi. executed. After learning of the entire process, it left Joel in a state of depression. In a desperate attempt to feel anything else other than pain, he decided to have the procedure done to himself. The method of wiping one’s mind of specific memories was to have the patient bring in every item that had anything to do with the object they were trying to forget and place the items in front of them. At the same time, their cranial nerves are connected to electrodes. This was a method used to create a map of the mind to pinpoint precisely where to strike when the patient is put into a deep coma-like sleep. You set your sentimental object in front of you to conjure up an emotional response by just thinking of the memory alone, and then ZAP! That memory is gone.
Once the map was created, Joel is then immersed in his own mind, going over every aspect of their relationship. The very first ones that are erased show the spectacle of their bond. Differences were amplified, situations were one-sided, and jabs were thrown around from both ends. Joel then begins to recognize that all the things he hated about her in the present were the same things that he fell in love with initially. Her charismatic personality, bold demeanor, and tragic set of charm; were all traits he truly admired about her. When did it all go wrong? At what point did they start to resent the other? What needs weren’t being met? All these questions flooded his brain the minute he realized he could not get out of what has now turned into a nightmare. He began forming plans of action to evade the damage he’s done to himself by taking away the only thing he had to cherish, and those were his memories. Joel started thinking like Clementine to keep what was left of her; he hid in his mind by unlocking his deepest, darkest secrets, preventing his thoughts from being struck into oblivion. He was in the middle of a war, trying to save the only echos of her. In the end, Joel had no other places to hide and succumbed to letting her go. Joel then wakes up to an empty feeling in his soul without really knowing why.
Not having any recollection of what just happened the night prior, Joel unexpectedly skips work to visit the place he never really frequented in the past, and he meets a woman on this spontaneous trip. As they hold a conversation, both individuals get an eerie sense of familiarity. Not knowing how to react to it, they both sort of embrace the oddly fast-paced attraction that’s building between them, and as you would guess, the woman was none other than Clementine. The reveal of their lives together later in the movie creates a fundamental change of perspective on their relationship from the past and gives them a second chance; they both deserve to make things right. You can’t change your fate; problems only seem massive when you’re so close up against them and they block you from seeing what you love the most in your life. Joel and Clementine’s relationship was never meant to be erased; it was meant to be revised, which is what I call poetic justice.
Michel Gondry’s artistic take on the human mind was one of uniqueness and displayed an abundance of passion. His vision for the film was to provoke undesired realities, to show that you need to experience such heartache in order to shape yourself and your future. Gondry was successful in conveying his audience’s hunger to run away from their sorrows. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” shows us that memories aren’t files to be deleted and they are more than just simple thoughts stored in the mind, as they shape the core of the self. People need both the good and the bad to learn and grow. Attempting to remove a person’s memories effectively extinguishes someone’s ability to learn from their mistakes, as memories are what build people into who they are. Further, the film shows the power of human impulse and nature, and despite their best efforts, Joel and Clementine wind up with each other again… or at least that’s what they end of the movie had interpreted. “The things that call to us as people, can’t be modified by ignorance or denial.” (Source: https://the-take.com/watch/what-is-the-message-of-eternal-sunshine-of-the-spotless-mind )
The chemistry on set between Kate Winslet and Jim Carey was one for the books. The love they deliver on-screen for one another brings out a magnetic bond that almost seems relatable to the average young adult demographic that has endured the anguish of toxic relationships that they wish had different outcomes. If you are interested in a love story with relatable regard, I recommend watching this one with a bottle of wine and a face mask.
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