Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
Average Rating: 8.4/10
Reviews Counted: 220
Fresh: 205 | Rotten: 15
Propelled by Charlie Kaufman's smart, imaginative script and Michel Gondry's equally daring directorial touch, Eternal Sunshine is a twisty yet heartfelt look at relationships and heartache.
Average Rating: 8/10
Critic Reviews: 45
Fresh: 41 | Rotten: 4
Propelled by Charlie Kaufman's smart, imaginative script and Michel Gondry's equally daring directorial touch, Eternal Sunshine is a twisty yet heartfelt look at relationships and heartache.
liked it
Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 503,889
My Rating
Movie Info
The second feature from director Michel Gondry (Human Nature) finds the filmmaker reteaming with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman for this off-the-wall romantic comedy. Jim Carrey stars as Joel Barish, a man who is informed that his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had her memories of their relationship erased from her brain via an experimental procedure performed by Dr. Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson). Not to be outdone, Joel decides to have the same procedure done to himself. As Mierzwiak's
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Cast
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Jim Carrey
Joel Barish -
Kate Winslet
Clementine Kruczynski -
Kirsten Dunst
Mary -
Tom Wilkinson
Dr. Howard Mierzwiak -
Elijah Wood
Patrick -
Mark Ruffalo
Stan -
Jane Adams (II)
Carrie -
David Cross
Rob -
Deirdre O'Connell
Hollis -
Debbon Ayer
Joel's Mother -
Thomas Jay Ryan
Frank -
Brian Price
Young Bully -
Gerry Robert Byrne
Train Conductor -
Amir Ali Said
Young Bully -
Paul Litowsky
Young Bully -
Josh Flitter
Young Bully -
Lola Daehler
Young Clementine -
Ryan Whitney
Young Joel
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All Critics (220) | Top Critics (45) | Fresh (215) | Rotten (15) | DVD (51)
Works marvel after marvel in expressing the bewildering beauty and existential horror of being trapped inside one's own addled mind, and in allegorising the self-preserving amnesia of a broken but hopeful heart.
Top CriticIt's the kind of film that could mean more to people after they've left the theater and thought about it awhile.
There is little charm in the coupling and almost no erotic intimacy, just a series of nerve-racking conversational collisions.
The disappointment I felt at the end of Eternal Sunshine was almost crushing, simply because there were sections of it that were as daring in their emotional directness as anything I've seen in years.
[Kaufman] clearly surpasses himself.
Neither wholly cynical nor wholly romantic, Kaufman's story is a balance of smarts and sentiment.
Imaginative, loopy romance is for adults only.
Michel Gondry tries to channel Fellini and ends up irrigating faulty plumbing.
This is a wonderful, often beautiful, and melancholy character study of romance, humanity, and the mind with wonderful acting, incredible surrealism and a funny and heart-wrenching story.
The film entertains for the most part and gives us a set of marvellous performances from this outstanding cast, even if it doesn't quite reach the near-genius of Kaufman's other writings.
Most imaginative and impressively executed...
Kaufman and Gondry bring out all the weirdness of the premise, sometimes eliciting disbelieving laughter, sometimes taking us to odd, chilly places.
Walking into a theater with Charlie Kaufman on the screen is like volunteering for that wacky boat trip Willy Wonka took through the chocolate factory tunnel...
Eternal Sunshine is fresh, heartfelt and ultimately heartbreaking in its honest portrayal of a modern relationship.
The reality is that Hollywood is such an idea poor place Kaufman tends to get more credit than he deserves for work which only occasionally rises above the level of mind games and showy sleight of hand.
It is an enchanting clutter of love and reason that will only appeal to the audience willing to take the time to see the movie and then think about it later.
A unique deconstruction of man's innate desire to avert heartache.
The kind of movie that only gets better the more you think about it and I think it cries out for repeat viewings.
The two-disc set here does a good job of fleshing out the background of the film. The bonus features make it a definite purchase for any fan.
It's a movie that careens wildly through the barricades that normally, politely cordon off narrative cinema from the rest of 'real' life.
Audience Reviews for Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
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- Joel Barish: Why do I fall in love with every woman I see that shows me the least bit of attention?
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- Joel Barish: I remember that speech really well.
- Clementine Kruczynski: I had you pegged, didn't I?
- Joel Barish: You had the whole human race pegged.
- Patrick: Hmmm. Probably
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- Clementine Kruczynski: Remember me. Try your best. Maybe we can.
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- Mary: Adults are, like, this mess of sadness and phobias.
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- Clementine Kruczynski: This is it, Joel. It's going to be gone soon.
- Joel Barish: I know.
- Clementine Kruczynski: What do we do?
- Joel Barish: Enjoy it.
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- Mary: Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| What was your reaction? | 9 days ago | 1 |
| This movie rocks | 36 days ago | 0 |
Latest News on Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
December 3, 2009:
Eternal Sunshine Tops AV Club's Decade Best-Of ListThe good people at the AV Club have gotten together and made a list of the best films of the decade,...
September 7, 2009:
Five Favourite Films with Richard CurtisRichard Curtis has a plan. "What I've decided is to choose recent films," he explains to RT. "I do...
April 14, 2009:
Michel Gondry Launches Official SiteDirector Michel Gondry has launched his official site, including personal notes, DVDs for sale, and...
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Foreign Titles
- Vergiss mein nicht! (DE)
This film is thought-provoking, I believe primarily for critics and film insiders. I just didn't enjoy it. Here's a key statement: "I wish I'd stayed, I wish I'd done a lot of things." He's got regrets, so do we all. As painful as life's memories can be, I'm glad I have them. This type of technology would be wrong.