"Eternal Sunshine

of the Spotless Mind"

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo and Elijah Wood

Rated: R (for adult language, slight sexual innuendo and drug reference)

Running time: 110 minutes

Best suited for: love story aficionados, the hopelessly romantic, Carrey and (screenwriter) Kaufman fans

Least suited for: may be too esoteric/disjointed for the traditional rom-com purist, younger teens will likely be bored

Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman ("Adaptation," "Being John Malkovich") loves to get inside the brains of both his actors and his audience. In "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"—his best film to date—he and director Michel Gondry dizzy viewers with a nightmarish, high-speed chase between the heart and the mind. This is a very, very good film about the joy and pain and consequences of love.

Jim Carrey turns in a restrained, poignant—yes, even mature—performance as Joel Barish, a shy loner who yearns for a woman to love. He eventually finds her in the guise of a blue-haired bohemian named Clementine (Kate Winslet). But Clementine is a wanderer and Joel is devastated when she eventually loses interest. Clementine chooses to wipe away all memories of their relationship by undergoing an unconventional medical procedure akin to selective amnesia.

When the pain of his loss becomes unbearable, Joel undergoes the same process himself—and too late realizes that even his tormented memories of Clementine are better than no memories at all. As the procedure begins to erase her from his mind, Joel struggles in vain to keep fragments and images of their happier times alive. Much of the film unravels as an elusive cat-and-mouse game inside Joel’s head.

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is more psychological thriller, more cautionary sci-fi visage, more somber morality play than it is rousing romantic comedy. Cleverly wrapped in Carrey’s talents, the film dangles its pretense of comedic bait like a carrot on a stick, just beyond our reach. There are moments of wry wit and quick humor, but if you’ve ever been in love—deeply, truly in love—the film is going to squeeze like a fist around your heart as it examines the emotional effects of love’s loss and remembrance.

In what has to be the best sequential shuffling since "Pulp Fiction," where Joel Barish’s romantic journey begins and ends is—well, I’m not saying more. But what I will divulge is this: prepare for a complicated and meandering journey and a somewhat "trippy" film of exceptional depth and insight. You’ll have to pay close attention to this one. That is both the film’s challenge and its reward. While some may find its unconventional approach too disjointed (and perhaps even a tad too long), I suspect most will be drawn into its ingeniously plotted and ultimately rewarding labyrinth.

The story is further enhanced by a wonderful, eclectic supporting cast and exceptional production values. The cinematography, lush with moody, indigo hues, starkly angled closeups and barren, snow-washed panoramas only augments the film’s dreamlike ambiance. Like the icing on a fabulously rich cake, the haunting soundtrack—including the must-have "Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometimes," performed by Beck—completes this nearly perfect cinematic package.

In a nutshell: "Eternal Sunshine" is a intricately layered, psychological tapestry, a story of love found and love lost. There are some confusing moments—necessary, in retrospect—but don’t be surprised to find yourself wondering more than once. Still, the payoff is well worth the brief lapses—indeed, one of the best, most fulfilling payoffs in recent memory. This is a dazzling, magical trip and a worthwhile tribute to the most elusive and complex of human emotions.