From the Vault – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

My favourite of favourite music video directors is Michel Gondry. He had the ability to bring something new to the table every time he created a new piece. All the while keeping the same tone that made it a “Michel Gondry music video” When he started directing features, I was curious on how he was going to be able to do it. Then I heard that he was directing a Charlie Kaufmann script and all the pieces fall into place.

Eternal Sunshine is a love story told backwards, and sideways, and forwards, and topwise. (too obscure? those who get don’t think so) It stars Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as lovers at the end of their relationship. The break up is going so bad that Winslet undergoes a procedure to have all memories of it erased form her mind. Carrey finds out about this and goes to do the same thing, but while undergoing the erasure, he rebels and tries to get her back. Like I said, its a Charlie Kaufmann movie.

What Gondry does is both mind blowing and fully entertaining. His camera tricks and effects are so simple and subtle you stare and wonder how he does it and then you go back and watch the film again, just to make sure you got it all. People who rent this looking for a Jim Carrey movie will be sorely disappointed. He is not making faces, or using weird voices or a lot of physical comedy, he is playing a loner in love and he does it very well. This was made back around the time he was taking acting seriously  and wasn’t afraid to take chances.

If you are in the mood for a thinker and a brilliant piece of film making, then go dig this out of the back shelf of your local video store. well worth the time.