When I first saw the film, I thought that Michael Gondry, the director, had somehow watched my life. I couldn't help but feel a sacred kind of affinity with Joel. I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm sure there are plenty of girls out there, and boys, who can relate to Clementine. She's that girl who wants to live life to the fullest, has no idea what she wants one minute from the next. When she's happy, it's infectious, seemingly making it impossible for anyone around her to fall to pieces. Likewise, when she breaks down, the world crumbles. Joel has that one mood, apathy/sadness, but when he does open up, he's someone you want to keep listening to. Such emotions are rare in guys like Joel, and when they are feeling comfortable enough to talk, quite often they make for great conversationalists. It's just that those moments are so rare. But, Eternal Sunshine also does a great job of revealing that everybody is dealing with their own battles. Sadness and despair hit all the characters in this film, and it really hits home that living is much more painful than it should be. Mary Svevo, a Lacuna employee, nails it:
Adults are, like, this mess of sadness and phobias.
Even though it reminds me of a time when I was sort of happy, the movie always hits the right notes for me. I love what it talks about, how real the characters feel, and the gloomy atmosphere, and the very authentic depiction of misery and happiness. Joel Barish and Clementine Kruzcynski interested me so much that I wrote my final uni paper on them. And studying the movie didn't ruin it at all, if anything, it made it more enjoyable since I was understanding the inner workings of the characters a whole lot more. Watching Joel on screen gives me hope that there is something, or someone, out there that can transform our lives into precious memories. However, I'm not someone who needs anybody else to give me my own identity. And that's another thing the film touches on. The whole idea that somebody else can 'complete you', which is all crap. You only need yourself. Too often we forget that.
Songs of the Week:
- 'People Live Here' by Rise Against
- 'Like the Angel' by Rise Against
- 'Restless World' by Tim McIlrath
- 'It's Late' by Tim McIlrath
- 'What Only You Know' by Dark Tranquillity
- 'Follow in Flight' by Halo 2 Anniversary Soundtrack
- 'Punishment' by Halo 2 Anniversary Soundtrack
- 'Jupiter' by The Eden Project