2008 Woodie Awards
'Quirky' 2004 film still draws Kaufman fans
Michael Winters
STAFF WRITER
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet fill the lead roles of the film. In "Eternal Sunshine," both actors accomplish a new depth of acting far outside their usual type of roles. The plot of the film revolves around a couple who each attempt to erase the other person from his or her mind. However, the results are not as bright, or spotless, as they hoped. The result is poignant and quirky storyline complete with unique characters and a stellar cast.
Jim Carrey takes a turn, as he did in "The Truman Show," towards a more serious type of character. He is very similar to Robin Williams in this regard. He is a man mostly known for his work in comedy, but he is also very able to carry a serious film role like this.
Kate Winslet, who is always great in anything of hers I have seen, delivers one of the best performances of her career.
Kirsten Dunst, Tom Wilkinson, Elijah Wood and Mark Ruffalo also deliver noteworthy supporting performances. Also in the film as friend Rob to Carrey's Joel Barish is comedian David Cross, perhaps best known as Dr. Tobias Fünke in "Arrested Development."
The film's writer, Charlie Kaufman, is perhaps cinema's most original and genius contemporary screenwriter. Kaufman also wrote the Academy Award-nominated "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation." Kaufman is no stranger to the absurd. Despite a certain playfulness and ample black humor infused into his works, they also often address complex and mature themes.
Director Michel Gondry's approach to film making blends comedy and surrealism, which complements the humorous and fantastical elements of Kaufman's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" well. Also known for his inventive visual style-after all, it was Gondry who pioneered the "bullet time" technique used extensively in "The Matrix" film. Gondry achieves the majority of the film's visual effects practically, that is, using computer-generated imagery sparingly.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is an amalgam of many difference genres. It is not merely a drama; it is also a comedy, science fiction, romance and a horror, though not in a conventional sense. Also, it is simply one of the most original and brilliant films of the last decade.
Like Kaufman's earlier works, there is evidently a great deal of heart present, and the film really succeeds on an emotional level. One might believe Gondry's playful style would hinder these elements of Kaufman's screenplay. Instead, the film is one of his more mature works to date. If not for wonderful acting by both the established and relative newcomers to film, the aforementioned top-notch directing, writing and visual effects would surely be a triumph of style over substance.
I ask myself how often I am given the opportunity to see a film that is as affecting and worthwhile, and, unfortunately, the answer is not often enough. It must be said that if films like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" were produced more often, I would be able to forgive the constant rehashes and remakes of previous works. Honestly, it is for this very film and ones like it that I enjoy cinema as much as I do.
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Michael Winters
posted 3/27/08 @ 4:45 PM CST
I'm really ashamed of this article. Number 1: That's a horrible headline. You don't have to be a fan of Charlie Kaufman's other works to enjoy this film. (Continued…)
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