Critic's Grade: A+

If it ever became an option, would you be willing to rid yourself of the wrenching memories you have from a previously failed relationship? Are they that painful that you would wipe them clean from the face of the Earth? This is a topic that becomes a wildly fantastic film from the paradox that is Charlie Kaufman's mind, called "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

Jim Carrey takes another swing at a dramatic role, playing Joel Barish, an artist who has just experienced the worst break-up he had ever had. After becoming too suspicious of his zany girlfriend Clementine Krucyznski (Kate Winslet), Joel causes her to leave him. But that's not what hurts. A confused Joel tries to patch things up at the book store where she works, but he discovers that she is currently seeing somebody else. And, if that isn't all, he finds a notice in his friend's (David Cross) apartment that claims Clementine has had Joel erased from her mind. A furious Joel barges into the Lacuna Corporation, where this procedure aparently took place. There, he meets Dr. Howard Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson), the doctor who performed the night-long mind erasure procedure, which is not reversable. Joel, knowing that what happened cannot be fixed, decides that the only way to move on is to erase Clementine from his mind. But while asleep, Joel relives his memories, and he soon finds that he doesn't want this to end. But can he awake to stop doctors (Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood), who have transformed the procedure into a party?

Aparently, Mr. Kaufman can create anything from the tiniest sources. The idea for this movie was just that: An idea about getting your memory erased. How that phrase led to a spectacular film is beyond my wildest guesses.

Every bit of this movie is sprinkled with creativity and originality. From the symbolic nature of Clementine's hair color (Blue during the relationship, red afterwards), Joel's attempts to hide Clementine by jumping into other memories (including a very embarassing moment), and how every character is intertwined (especially Clementine's relationship with doctor Patrick, played by Elijah Wood), Kaufman's latest work (helmed by director Michael Gondry, who has worked with Kaufman in the past) is probably his greatest yet, and this is the man who wrote both "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation."

Fans of both Jim Carrey and Charlie Kaufman can find this movie easy to watch, with not as many back-and-forth plotlines as "Adaptation" and several hilarious moments featuring Carrey. The on-screen chemistry between Jim and Kate Winslet is remarkable. Never have I ever sat through a Jim Carrey movie where I was on the edge of my seat. There's hope that both characters will love each other again, while there's suspicion that it may never happen.

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" blends fantasy, romance, drama and comedy into a beatiful movie. One could go into the cliche that it shines. Well, that's what I'm sticking to.

My Score: 10 (out of 10)

All Reviews by Jordan Boyd
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