Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind | Rotten Tomatoes

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

R

Released Mar 19, 2004

1h 48m

Romance

Sci-Fi

List

92%

Tomatometer

257 Reviews

94%

Audience Score

250,000+ Ratings

After a painful breakup, Clementine (Kate Winslet) undergoes a procedure to erase memories of her former boyfriend Joel (Jim Carrey) from her mind. When Joel discovers that Clementine is going to extremes to forget their relationship, he undergoes the same procedure and slowly begins to forget the woman that he loved. Directed by former music video director Michel Gondry, the visually arresting film explores the intricacy of relationships and the pain of loss.

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Critics Consensus

Propelled by Charlie Kaufman's smart, imaginative script and Michel Gondry's equally daring directorial touch, Eternal Sunshine is a twisty yet heartfelt look at relationships and heartache.

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Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

...giving us an ending that is more painfully honest and, as a result, more romantic.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 16, 2024

Full Review

Wael Khairy

RogerEbert.com

It is a film that demands the presence of thoughts we put aside when surrounded by people, things we only think about when we're alone, buried in everlasting thoughts. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is the rarest of all films...

Sep 28, 2022

Full Review

K. Austin Collins

Vanity Fair

It's a surprising, clever sci-fi twist, even as the relationship drama it dredges up doesn't feel at all like science fiction.

Mar 26, 2019

Full Review

Dave Giannini

InSession Film

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of the purest examinations of love, and it never pulls any punches.

Feb 20, 2024

Full Review

Jeffrey Peterson

Indie Film Minute

We’re quick to run to love, away from it, to spur it on, or move on from it. In no other film is this more clear than Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind.

Sep 1, 2023

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

The wacky sight gags and psycho-drama slapstick is tinged with melancholy and regret ...

May 6, 2023

Full Review

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Lue

one of the greatest films. finally saw it on theaters.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/01/22

Full Review

Mr. Hollywood

Great film. From story to pacing to images. This is one of those films that shows how original films make the best movies. From the pacing to the individual shots all contributing to the film as a whole. Four out of four stars. Amazing.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/30/22

Full Review

Eboni

I’m only eighteen. Don’t watch a whole lotta movies. This one came out when I was one, and I always saw people go on about it when I would look for new movies on Instagram or something like that. It was on Netflix, but I didn’t watch it on there. Peaked my interest, and today it came out for an anniversary or something in theaters. Beautiful film. Many twists I didn’t expect. Dope cinematography. Kate Winslet is beautiful, and her and Jim Carrey were pretty hilarious throughout. It was endearing to see a woman call out a man for his romantic projections, and him to acknowledge doing such and wanting to change. Much love.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/29/22

Full Review

Ariana M

“The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is a beautifully crafted film directed by Michel Gondry. The movie tells the story of Joel and Clementine, who undergo a procedure to erase each other's memories after a painful break up. Film techniques, such as non-linear narrative and visual effects, are employed to represent the fragmented and subjective nature of memory. This adds to the overall surreal and dreamlike quality of the film, allowing the audience to experience the disorientation and emotional journey of the characters. If a procedure to "erase" someone from memory became a reality, it would undoubtedly have profound effects on society. While it may seem appealing to erase painful memories, it raises ethical questions and potential consequences. Memories shape our identities, inform our decisions, and contribute to our personal growth. Erasing memories could potentially lead to a loss of personal history, emotional growth, and the ability to learn from past experiences.I would recommend this film to anyone who appreciates movies that challenge the mind and touch the heart. It's a cinematic journey that stays with you, prompting deep reflection on the parts of life and relationships that truly matter.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/23/24

Full Review

alex b

In my opinion I think The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was a great movie. I like how well Michel Gondry directed this movie and how well Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet played their roles and really portrayed the complicated love between them. I really like how they add to this sci-fi movie by adding love to it. The obstacles they had to overcome to finally love each other were hard and confusing but they did overcome them and ended falling in love. In my opinion I would not support the memory erasing idea. I think it would be more harmful than good. I think this film overall was really good and I would recommend it if you like sci-fi and especially love.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/14/24

Full Review

Mia A

“The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is a romantic sci-fi film directed by Michel Gondry and starring the insanely talented Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey. This film follows Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine’s (Kate Winslet) relationship in an erratic narrative, set in the year 2004 in New York City. However, there is a procedure where people can erase painful memories concerning certain individuals. The music and the way this movie was shot enhanced the idea of Joel's internal battle, mid-procedure he realizes he doesn't want to forget her and their memories. If this procedure was available today it would cause more harm than good, people would not grow from mistakes and repeat them. This film was one of the best films I have seen this year and I especially recommend it to fans of rom-coms.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/13/24

Full Review

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Michel Gondry

Director

Jim Carrey

Joel Barish

Kate Winslet

Clementine Kruczynski

Kirsten Dunst

Mary

Mark Ruffalo

Stan

Elijah Wood

Patrick

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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Movie Clip - It's All Falling Apart

1:58

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Movie Clip - Train Ride

3:00

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Movie Clip - Wait

1:11

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Movie Clip - Remember Me

1:43

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Movie Clip - Erased From Her Memory

2:47

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Movie Clip - Clementine's Tape

2:01

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Clip - Baby Joel

2:58

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Movie Clip - Joel's Tape

2:44

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Movie Clip - The Day We Met

2:12

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Official Movie Clip - Meet Me in Montauk

2:30

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Synopsis

After a painful breakup, Clementine (Kate Winslet) undergoes a procedure to erase memories of her former boyfriend Joel (Jim Carrey) from her mind. When Joel discovers that Clementine is going to extremes to forget their relationship, he undergoes the same procedure and slowly begins to forget the woman that he loved. Directed by former music video director Michel Gondry, the visually arresting film explores the intricacy of relationships and the pain of loss.

Director: Michel Gondry
Producer: Anthony Bregman, Steve Golin
Screenwriter: Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Anonymous Content, Focus Features, Blue Ruin, This Is That Productions
Rating: R (Some Drug Content|Language|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 19, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $34.1M
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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