A sex-ed teacher that I had in high school imparted on me one of the most poignant lessons that I still try to remember to this day: relationships are work. What I’ve always loved about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is its refusal to shy away from how hard relationships can be. Maybe once the universe considers two people to be destined to be together, nothing, not even their own choices or the actual elimination of their very feelings for each other, can keep them apart. It might be some sort of commentary on destiny perhaps soulmates truly exist. And, after going through all the trouble of erasing each other, they still meet again and follow through on their mutual attraction. His regret at taking part in the procedure becomes a battle against time as he drags his memories of her throughout his psyche in an attempt to save them.Įventually, Joel and Clementine are truly erased from one another’s memories, but viewers learn that the moment at the beginning of the film was actually their second introduction. But while this moment seems like a start of a relationship, viewers soon learn it's bit more complicated than that throughout the film, Joel and Clementine’s love story is told through the erasure of his memories of her, a procedure Clementine had already gone through. 14, “Today is a holiday invented by greeting card companies to make people feel like crap.” While ditching work to head to Montauk in the dead of winter, he meets Clementine, striking up a conversation on the train home. The story begins on Valentine’s Day, 2004, when glum Joel declares, in a common sentiment among those going solo on Feb. It can be a confusing watch for a first-time viewer, but it reflects the reality that relationships aren’t always understandable or predictable. The film is a narrative jigsaw puzzle, not told in linear, or even entirely clear, fashion memories are presented out of chronological order, and characters aren’t always shown as having a strong grasp on their own realities. After a tumultuous relationship that ends in heartbreak, the former couple subject themselves to a futuristic brain procedure that erases each person from the other's memory. In Eternal Sunshine, Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet star as the melancholy Joel and eccentric Clementine, respectively. But while Michel Gondry’s kooky, quirky film might spend a lot of time pointing out how much relationships can hurt us, it’s actually quite hopeful, optimistic, and, most importantly, realistic in how it represents love and romance. Sure, it’s a bit of an unusual choice after all, the film centers on the idea of using technology to forget relationships and purge any memories of an ex from your brain. The 2004 drama is an incredibly romantic film that should be watched this Valentine’s Day, but really, also on any day you happen to feel frustrated with relationships and love. But I’m here to offer a perspective on a film that, while it revolves around the story of a couple, may not be what pops into most people’s heads when they think of “romance:" Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And whether it’s through classic rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally or modern kink films like Secretary, everyone has his or her preference for what's considered the best of the bunch. 14 on the horizon, single and attached folks alike are turning to pieces of romance-themed entertainment to get in the Valentine's Day mood.
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