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Michel Gondry is an amazing visual filmmaker and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is remarkable, but simple story about love and loss. While the structure of the film seems loose, it’s quite intricately constructed so I appreciated (and enjoyed) it even more the second time through. Ellen Kuras’ cinematography adds to the casual look of the film, but within the frame there is a wonderful combination of ingenious sets and special effects that manage to create a story that is very much emotional and internal. The skillful shooting and writing turn what could be a very talky film into something that exists in small moments and quiet spaces between people. By playing characters opposite to what they usually do, Jim Carey and Kate Winslet manage to hit notes that they don’t always hit. At times the performances are almost painful to watch which is probably a testament to how well we can identify with them. One of the smaller pleasures is the dysfunctional relationship with David Cross as a hotheaded pothead. The balance between the sillier elements and the depressing elements is just right. When I first wrote about this film I said that it didn’t blow me away, but it would grow on me and it has.
