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MaryKatherineKelly
ProfessorBolton
English101
22September2014
EternalSunshineoftheSpotlessMind:OrNot...
Althoughthenameofthemoviestatesotherwise,theeternalsunshineofthespotlessmind
maynotbeasbrightasitfirstappears.Twoverydifferentindividuals,JoelandClementine,fallinlove,
buttheirdifferenceseventuallytearthemapart.HeartbrokentodiscoverthatClementinehasundergone
aproceduretoerasehimfromhermind,JoelerasesClementinefromhismindaswell.Toolate,he
realizesthathedoesnotwanttoforget,anddesperatelytriestohangontohismemoriesofClementine
astheyarebeingerased.ThoughJoelisunsuccessful,fatetakescontrolandJoelandClementinemeet
again,facedwiththetaskofovercomingtheirdifferences.EternalSunshineoftheSpotlessMindis
aninterestingfilmbecauseofthecomplexplot,uniqueactors,andrelatability.

Theoriginalplotisonefactorthatmakesthisfilminteresting.Thenameofthisfilm,which
impliesthatnotrememberingwhathurtsyouwillhealyou,couldeasilybelabeledasamisnomerduring
themovie,JoelrealizesthathedoesnotwanttoforgetClementineandstrugglestoendtheprocedure
thatiserasingherfromhismemories.Thefuturistic,memoryerasingprocedureisinitselfanother
excitingfactoroftheplotitcatchestheviewersinterestwhilealsoportrayingthecreativityandthought
putintothemakingofthisfilm.InEternalSunshineoftheSpotlessMind,thereisahumorousscene
whereJoelasksDr.Mierzwiakwhethertheprocedurewillcauseanybraindamage,towhichDr.
MierzwiakrepliesthattheproceduretechnicallyisbraindamagetheprocedurethatbothJoeland
Clementineundergoisnotonethatseemsrealistictoday,butitisalsonotimpossiblethatitcouldone
daybecreated.

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Inadditiontotheplot,theuniquecharactersinthisfilmkeeptheviewersintrigued.Bothvery
popularactors,JimCarrey,whoplaysJoelBarish,andKateWinslet,whoplaysClementine
Kruczynski,portraythedevelopmentoftheircharacterswell.Asanexampleofhercharacter
development,Clementineisportrayedasimpulsiveandoutgoinginthebeginningofthefilm.Whenshe
isfirstintroduced,Clementinehasbluehair,andshetellsJoelthatsheuseshairdyetoportrayher
personality.ShewastheonetointroduceherselftoJoelbothbeforeandaftertheyhadundergonethe
procedure,andwasnotshytoaskJoeltocomeinforadrink.But,asthemovieprogresses,itiseasy
toseethatClementinescharacterisselfconscious.InoneofJoelsmemories,Clementinesharesher
insecuritieswithJoelwhilehekissesherandtellsherthatsheisbeautiful.InhisinterviewwithDr.
Mierzwiak,Joelwentasfarassayingthatinherinsecurities,Clementinewouldsleepwithpeopleinan
attempttomakethemlikeher.Onthecontrary,Joelispassive,butlovesdeeply.AnexampleofJoels
intenseemotionsisseenwhen,duringtheintroductionofthefilm,Joelissittinginhiscarcrying
hystericallyjustafterfindingoutaboutthedrasticmeasuresthatClementinewentthroughinorderto
forgethim.OnescenethatviewerscanidentifyJoelsandClementinesoppositepersonalitiesisin
JoelsfirstmemoryofClementinethememoryofthedaythathemetheratMontaukbeach.She
breaksintoabeachhousethatisnotbeingusedduetothewinterseason,andtriestoconvinceJoelto
staythenighttherewithherbut,fearfulofgettingcaught,heturnsaroundandquicklyexitsthehouse.
ThedifferencesinJoelsandClementinespersonalitiesarealsoseenwhenClementinebringsJoelout
ontothefrozenCharlesRiver.Joelisveryhesitantoftheriver,fearingthattheicewillbreak,while
Clementineconfidentlyrunsoutontotheice.UnlikeClementine,Joelisnotnormallyonetoacton
impulse.ItiseasytoseethathistimewithClementinehaschangedhim,eventhoughhenolonger
remembersher,whenJoelimpulsivelyskipsworkonthemorningafterhehastheproceduredone.
Finally,therelatabilityofthisfilmmakesitevenmoreenthralling.Althoughtheprocedurethat
JoelandClementineexperienceisnotrealisticwithtodaystechnology,theresultingconflictcausedby

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JoelandClementinesbreakupcertainlyisrealistic.Infact,manyviewerscanrelatetothefilmandthe
characterssimplythroughthesharedexperienceofatraumaticbreakup.Also,themoralofthisfilmis
relatabletotheviewersinthatsometimesonehastolosesomethinginordertorealizewhattheyhad.
JoelandClementinebothunderwenttheprocedureoncetheirrelationshipbegantohaveissuesuntilthe
memoriesweretakenawayfromthemforever,neitherJoelnorClementinerealizedthattheywould
ratherworkouttheirproblemsandbewitheachotherthanforgeteachotherentirely.
Inconclusion,EternalSunshineoftheSpotlessMindisaninterestingfilm.Ithasanintense
plotwithoriginalideasthatkeepstheviewerswaiting,anunusualpolaroppositecouple,anditsportsan
indirectrelatability.Atenderandemotionfilledfilm,EternalSunshineoftheSpotlessMindcaptures
theinterestofallwhoviewit.

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WorksCited
EternalSunshineoftheSpotlessMind.Dir.Michel.Gondry.Perf.JimCarreyandKateWinslet.
2004.DVD.