ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (DVD)

Director: Michel Gondry (French short director, musical films, etc)
Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslett, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Wilkinson

Although I find this to be a flawed movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an attempt at film-making so significantly different form the norm that it deserves far more discussion than I will give it here. Another kooky, twisted tale by screenwriter Charlie Kaufmann, this is the story of a couple who literally erase each other from their memories after a failed relationship only to find that they still love each other - even though they don't even know each other anymore. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the film is the nearly surreal stylistic elements. A slow downer plot is juxtaposed with hyperactive and radical visual editing, as the film flips from one dreamscape memory to another, creating a thoroughly unique visual canvas. It's not nearly as accurately dreamlike as the work of David Lynch, but it's interesting in its own right. The twisted conundrums of love and loss are nicely mixed in the plot, but the great downer for the film is that the characters are, well, unremarkable. Oh, they tried to make them interesting, but it just didn't work. I was somewhat intrigued by their love, but by no means completely drawn in. Also uninteresting was a side plot involving a doctor/secretary affair where the memories were also erased. The movie obviously needed some sort of side plot to help set-off the main story, but this one only partially worked. All told this was an interesting and, in many ways, superb attempt at creating something unique and thoughtful. Kudos for that. On the other hand, my problem with Kauffman's writing is that he tries to write about human conditions, but it almost never feels even vaguely organic. A tale of love just shouldn't be this cold and unnatural.

Standouts: Quirky, unique script construction. Post-modern posterchild.
Blowouts: Quirky, unique script fell flat when trying to talk about love.

Grade: B+