Michel Gondry’s masterfully poignant 2004 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of those rare quirky films that not only packs an emotional punch, and how, but also says something truly meaningful.
Telling the story of a heartbroken man, Joel (Jim Carrey) who submits to a prcoedure that wipe all memories of his ex-girlfriend, Clementine (Kate Winslet), much of the film’s comes down to beautifully-judged performances and a finely-nuanced screenplay but as Film Radar explain in their latest video essay, the way the film was edited was also a major influence on its storytelling genius.
The video essay explains why and why certain scenes came to be included and others excised and how chronology and the way it was represented came to have an important bearing on the flavour, feel and narrative impact of the film.
It’s worth watching the video and then taking the time to read Film School Rejects analysis of the essay and the film which is fascinating in itself.
Oh, and always remember, painful though it might be at times, it’s always worth remembering.