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IMDb > Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) More at IMDbPro »

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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) -- 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.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) -- 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.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) -- 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.

Overview

User Rating:
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Up 9% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Michel Gondry
Writers (WGA):
Charlie Kaufman (story) &
Michel Gondry (story) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 March 2004 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Romance more
Tagline:
I already forget how I used to feel about you. more
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 36 wins & 50 nominations more
User Comments:
an modern artistic triumph for all involved more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for language, some drug and sexual content.
Runtime:
108 min | Turkey:95 min (TV version)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
A Metro North Commuter Railroad train from the New Haven line (red striped) doubled for the Long Island Railroad (which are blue striped). more
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). more
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.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Knocked Up (2007) more
Soundtrack:
Concerto No. 8 in D Major, Opus 99 more

FAQ

Since dream Clem is just a figment of Joel's imagination, how does she know to meet him in Montauk?
I'm confused about what happens when!
What happened at the end of the film? Will Joel and Clementine be together forever?
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219 out of 276 people found the following comment useful:-
an modern artistic triumph for all involved, 27 October 2004
10/10
Author: JackGattanella from United States

Michel Gondry, credited as the director and co-writer of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, is only partly responsible for the success that the film achieves. He implements a awe-inspiring blend of style to a story that is perfectly non-linear. But then there is also the madman genius of the current screen writing plane- Charlie Kaufman- who has written three of the most ingenious, funny, and human of "little" Hollywood movies (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind). He understands, and perhaps likely experienced to a degree, what a relationship holds to- the truth, to understanding, and then when it ends, how out memory changes the relationship. Enter in the concept that makes 'Eternal Sunshine' something of a un-official science fiction film - the Lacuna corporation, led by Tom Wilkinson's character, can erase just one person out of your memory, all of the experiences that you and the significant other had. So, when Joel (Jim Carrey) goes in to erase his memory of Clementine (Kate Winslet) after finding out she did just the same, he enters into a mind-warp. He goes through memories they had, happy ones, sad ones, some that are just what makes up what you have emotionally with the one you've loved. And sometimes, and to the behest of the assistants of Lacuna (Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo), Joel doesn't want them all to be erased.

As I mentioned, the plot is non-linear, which could've gone the wrong way if not done with skill. With a film like 21 Grams, which has a talented director and cast, the non-linear structure isn't necessary. But it's an asset that the story doesn't start from A to Z. To assist Gondry with this, he has the extraordinary Ellen Kuras as DP and Valdís Óskarsdóttir, an editor from Iceland. Their collaboration is crucial with Gondry and Kaufman (and co-writer Pierre Bismuth), as they bring all of these un-real images a real quality. Quite simply, there isn't a finer example of surrealism crossbred with realism in any other American film so far this year. The usage of lights, cuts, and with the kinds of special effects not expected (i.e. no CGI), add to the effect it has on a viewer. That the characters of Joel and Clementine are as enveloping as they are is also a credit to Kaufman.

But then there's one more part that completes the success of the film - the acting. Jim Carrey, very simply, is at his very best. He finds a balance from certain scenes in being like people we see everyday, feeling low, not much of interest, inward. And then when the memory erases begin, we get to see him act funny, but not like the kind of humor he brought with Ace Ventura or Dumb and Dumber. This is Carrey knowing this character just well enough to play off his counterpart, played by Winslet. She, meanwhile, is perhaps at her best. Her character is eccentric, funny, insightful, and wanting. She pulls it off. As do the supporting actors.

There's not much more I can say about this film, except to say that even after seeing it three times, I feel like I could watch it over and over and see a new shot, a new sequence, and new set of emotions tied to things. It's very likely one of the great romantic comedies of the decade. A+

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