“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” in review

Jim Carrey stars in romantic comedy full of twists and turns

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Story by Trent Tetzlaff, Copy Editor

If you like Jim Carrey, his quirky sense of humor and different acting style, then this one is right up your alley.

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is a twisted comedic and romantic film in which Carrey stars as a rather bland man named Joel Barish. Barish is informed that his ex-girlfriend Clementine, otherwise known as Clem, has had her memories of their relationship erased from her brain thanks to an experimental procedure performed by Dr. Mierzwiak, a knowledgeable doctor.

In response, Barish decides to have the same procedure done to himself to have his memory erased of Clementine. As two workers of Dr. Mierzwiak perform the procedure overnight on Joel in his apartment, he struggles in his own mind to save the memories of Clementine from being deleted.

I am no movie connoisseur but I can spot an odd film when I see one, and that is exactly what this one is. However, despite its odd scenes and plot twists left and right, as I reflected on the film as a whole it came to me that the movie did exactly what it was supposed to.

The way that Clementine (Kate Winslet) contrasts with Barish from the get-go just really gets me thinking. Why is such an outgoing woman going out of her way to get to know a boring emotional man like Barish on an empty train? The answer is because opposites attract, as you learn throughout the film.

Clementine’s sarcastic sense of humor clashes with Barish’s rather dry one, really making you wonder what is going on. But as Barish begins to have his procedure to erase his memories, you learn about the relationship between the two, bringing you back up to speed to again be thrown a curveball before Barish can even awake.

Director Michel Gondry and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman have a fresh way of portraying the love story to viewers that almost makes you feel as if you are having the dreams, not Barish, as you face a whirlwind of up’s and down’s.

In a New York Times film review Elvis Mitchell said, “Even as you laugh, it’s a movie you admire more than love.”

I can’t agree with Mitchell any more. This 108 minute screenplay will have you laughing, wondering and admiring each and every character for a different reason while keeping you on the edge of your seat.

So grab yourself a seat but make sure not to miss a second or you’ll be lost. Shows are at 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Woodland Theater in Davies Center.