On the Power of Pain and Memory

The Unexpected Beauty of 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'

I am finally writing again, and it feels wonderful. I’ve been meaning for a few weeks now to share with you my thoughts on the 2004 sci-fi drama film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (dir. Michel Gondry), but a string of colds and flu got in the way. But here we are at last! As this is part of my monthly film club reviews, most of this post will be available exclusively to paid subscribers. Thank you so much for your support to those who have pledged a paid subscription here on Literary Convert. And for those readers who may be considering subscribing, it would mean the world to me - though, of course, I appreciate you reading my posts regardless! Now, let’s get into the film!

This film was an entirely new one for me. It’s a cult classic from exactly twenty years ago, but somehow I never stumbled across it. I was first drawn to it because of its title, which is taken from the poem/ verse epistle Eloisa to Abelard by 18th century poet Alexander Pope, one of my absolute favourites. The poem doesn’t get quoted until about two-thirds of the way through the film, but let me include the passage in question here for you (I won’t reveal who quotes Pope or why, as that would be giving away too much of the plot!):

How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!

The world forgetting, by the world forgot.

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!

Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd;

The premise of the film is based on the idea laid out in this passage: that the mind which forgets both joy and sorrow alike, and which goes on living in perfect tranquility, is a ‘spotless’ mind, one that enjoys ‘eternal sunshine’. That very premise is the promise of Lacuna, a clinic in which Dr. Howard Mierzwiak uses a newly discovered technology to erase from his patients the memory of a specific person in their lives. A failed relationship or marriage? Never fear, your whole recollection of that person’s shared experiences with you will be wiped from your memory forever. This promise attracts Clementine Kruczynski, a young, impulsive woman who ends up erasing her ex-boyfriend Joel Barish after a messy breakup. When Joel finds out, he is devastated. In a moment of anger, he decides to erase Clementine, too. Without spoiling exactly what happens for you, from this point onwards the film details the process of Joel losing the memories of his relationship with Clementine.