Movies

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an emotional film that is directed by Michel Gondry to explore the nature of romantic love and memory. It uses elements of non linear narration to resonate with the story of tragic love affair where unforgetfulness becomes the only source of comfort. The film is a commercial success that developed a strong cult-following and received great compliment after its release. It is lauded by critics as one of the best films of 2004.The concept of love is captured with the creative use of image which is to memory. While containing much entertaining elements, the movie seems to have the Hollywood kind of ending. This essay seeks to analysis the movie Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind 2004.

In this film, we are introduced to the story of love. It is not an idea that is brought out clearly because the director, Michel Gondry, decides to make it dominant in the end. Perhaps, this is the irony to want to avoid making it so evident. Riggs (2006 89-94) argues that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has a hopeful ending attributed to this ironic suspense. It is portrayed by the simple realization that both the characters and the audience have of just what they are up against. Accordingly, it is equally among the things that depict it as a get story because, most couples in the film is up against exactly the same thing. In the saying, familiarity breeds contempt, the characters have one advantage over real couple since they are able to start over again in a very unique way. The key publicity image of the movie lies in the fact that couples are found in the situation where they are faced with the cold world out there but the warmth of their love, personal union and happiness is often threatened by underlying weakness. This is symbolic to the human situation of love and relationship such that everyone always treads on a thin ice.

The skills employed by the director makes the movie to take a late point of attack. For example, by the end of the film, we realize that what we initially thought was the beginning of the story turns out to be near the end. With regard to this, Clementine and Joel are meeting as though it their first meeting. This is attributed to the fact that they have both had their memories for each other erased. Kaufman (2004 75-83) claim that this small touch of fiction is a style used to clarify many things. For instance, loss of memories for each other shows how bad their relationship had gotten, how much they are spontaneously drawn to each other to empathize and  naturally get along and finally what they are going to do to deal with their problem if at all they must begin their relationship on a new pedestal.

It is significant to realize that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is mainly put together of flashback, because, it is only near the end of the film that we catch up with the beginning. It therefore becomes obvious that the director gives us an invaluable clue to where we are at any time in the chronology of the film. For instance, Clementine had dyed her hair red before their first date to symbolize the earliest and happiest days of their relationship. When she dyes it orange, it is evident to note that everything as far as their relationship is concerned still seems to be fairing on well although the some problems begin to crop up. In light of this, they do not seem to have anything exciting to say to each other. Riggs (2006114-119) underscores that Clementine grumbles that Joel does not tell her about himself and similarly Joel responds with a cutting remark of her own talkativeness. He even complains of her drinking. These events later lead Clementine into hopefully and brightly telling Joel that she wants a baby. It is possible to note that somehow, this is a way of creating a tie and strengthening the bond of the relationship.

According to Kaufman (200469-75), most couples in any marriage must weather the point where they become a little weary of each other. The mannerism as well as habits that seemed endearing and fresh at the beginning of the relationship later becomes irritating and annoying. For instance, when Clementine has been hurt at the end of the movie for hearing Joels pre-procedural claims that she used sex to lure people into liking her, it points out the question as to whether relationship needs change as couples mature into the relationship. The desperate hunger of a fresh sexual attraction thus becomes intimate and comfortable but the question of routine makes it less exciting, infrequent and a bit daunting. Therefore, it is important that a couple must ask if it is simply time to move on or if there is enough that a little commitment is worth the effort. Clementines bails Joel and forget about theirs issues in the most literal sense.

 The evident power in the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind resides in the exclusive process of forgetting. It is revealed that the tendency of forgetting about each other seems to be of an affinity that even a great deal of work would be worth the effort to renew the relationship. This is succinct in the later memories of Joel and Clementine being erased first rolling back to the beginning. But when he gets back to the happy memories of Clementine, he realizes that he does not really want to lose them. As a result what Joel found out about Clementine and their relationship does correspond to Clementines own feeling about him.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind addresses in a unique way the intermittent phases that love goes through in a relationship. Clementine and Joel starts all over again as before. There is indeed undercurrent of even stronger attraction. Taking to strangers at a party, which ideally exists for such things is nothing unusual .Introducing yourself to a stranger on the Long Island Railroad as well as on the train is something else altogether. Clementine comes on so strikingly such that as she admits herself, it seems as if Joel backs of at first. By physically recoiling as she moves to the seat next to him, she facilitates an opportunity for Joel to be attracted to her. There are several indications that love in married life does spiral from low moment to high warm moment. It is natural, according to this movie that the pattern of warm   and cold and warm does follow and therefore, it is up to the couple in question to understand each other in relation to this thought and learn to please each other thereby lives in happiness. For example, back to the apartment, Clementine first hands Joel the drink and hastens to say that it will ease the seduction. Later, she calms such statement by laughing it off and arguing that it was a pure joke. Riggs (2006 123-129) understands that such silly utterances are the essential basis upon which the fire of romance is enkindled in marriage and relationships at large.

However, Joel and Clementine are sufficiently well developed and realized characters because they are able to keep the audience actively involved in the storyline. Although Joel is a quiet cautious man, he is not adept at expressing his feelings. The eminent frustrations and misunderstanding among these couple as well as their mutual attraction and their ability to delight at each others uniqueness is indeed a sense of authenticity in the relationship. Kaufman (2004 111-116) postulates that the characters readiness to adjustment leads the viewer not to feel the aggravations of Joel especially with Clementines carefree willfulness and her annoyance with the curiosity about his deep taciturnity.

In addition, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is mixed together with the sequences that focus on the pair of Clementine and Joel. These sequences predominantly capture how Joel and his memories reveal the activities of the person removing these while their patient is a sleep in the apartment. In these scenes, the viewer probably visualizes how Stan and his girlfriend drink beer, get stoned and dance on their clients bed. It emerges that Stan is a technician in charge of the procedure while his girlfriend Mary, previously had an affair with one Dr Howard. Riggs (2006214-219) outlines that these events depicts the confessions that Stan makes in regard to stealing the pants of Clementine and then leaves so that he can continue with his quest of seducing her. Ideally, attempts to seduce her older married lover and ultimately, her efforts in light of this have significant and surprising consequences. Kaufman (2004 121-128) observes that even though none of these characters is intriguing, as the protagonist, they are similarly disliked especially in the scenes where they apparently maintain the movies pace. Without them, the director would have fallen short hence, being left with the option of making the more tiresome to watch than it is.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind concludes with a decidedly hopeful affirmation of the ability of the two people get beyond whatever silly situation they find themselves in, talk to each other, and get a chance to look each other into the eyes and communicate on an elevated and intimate plane. The director does emphasis on the need to iron out issue and work together to rejuvenate the spirit of love among married couple. It is vital that fondling, appreciating each other and reminding each other of their worth is the central key to maintain the fire f love to continue burning. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is indeed a timeless commentary of social life and thus its reveling dystopian conceit helps the fill to hide an astute analysis. The film is a literary piece that captures the bold realism of life under the closet of love and marriage, communicated through humor and riveting theatrical skills. It largely deals with emotional weighty issues without necessarily descending to a melodrama.