What Makes "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" Great.

Eternal Sunshine is one of the most imaginative love stories you will ever see, and it's all the better for it. It's a fascinating tale of relationships, memories, and how those relationships shape our memories, rather good or bad.

Introvert Joel Barish has just gone through a breakup with his girlfriend Clementine Kruczynski. Joel is further disheartened to learn that Clementine has gone through a procedure that has erased any memory of him. This motivates Joel to have the same operation of erasing Clementine from his memory. The film takes us into Joel's subconscious, as he witnesses his moments with Clementine, both good and bad disappear.

The best aspect of the film is its messages about how relationships shape our memories, and if a moment of heartbreak is worth forgetting all that came before. It's a fascinating question that may have different answers depending on who you ask. Joel's memories are erased from his most recent to his earliest memories with Clementine. While Joel relives several arguments he has had with Clementine, he also relives all the beautiful moments that he had with her. These are memories that make Joel reconsider the whole operation. Joel realizes that his happiest memories with Clementine are ones he can't live without. This causes Joel to start resisting the treatment, as Joel realizes that these moments are worth every bit of the heartbreak to come.

The fact that the film takes place around Valentine's day is also very clever and serves its purpose in the film very well. In the opening scene, Joel laments about the holiday saying it's "A day inventing by greeting card companies to make people feel like crap". The doctors behind the procedure even note that it is especially popular on Valentine's day. This seems to be an intentional act on the filmmaker's part to show the aspects of the holiday that is often ignored. Valentine's day can be one of the most depressing and loneliest times of the year for lots of single people. The constant reminders of the holiday can, as Joel puts it "make people feel like crap". The fact that the film has a cold feel also enforces this, with Valentine's day being in the middle of winter, a time of year often associated with grey and cold days.

The impact of the film's message about love would not have hit quite as hard if not for the 2 lead performances. Funny man Jim Carrey has been known for his dip into more dramatic roles, and his skill in that department is on display here. Jim Carrey is terrific in this against-type role as Joel. Carrey embodies Joel's quiet and shy mannerisms so well that it makes you forget that this is the opposite of many of his comedic roles. Much like The Truman Show, it's a performance that was unjustifiably ignored by the Academy Awards. Opposite Carrey is the equally brilliant Kate Winslet as Clementine. Winslet is one of the most consistent actresses working today and she brings her A-game here. Clementine's energetic and bombastic personality makes for a perfect contrast to Joel. Carrey and Winslet's chemistry makes for an endearing pair as good as you will ever see in the genre.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a great blend of Science Fiction and Romance genres. It will leave you both emotionally moved and pondering the film's subject of human connection.