What would you do if you found out that someone erased you from his or her memory? Ask Joel. This is the dilemma he faces when his ex-girlfriend decides to undergo a procedure to rid herself of him permanently. Yes, it’s a little dramatic, but it makes for a great film.

When Joel (Jim Carrey) realizes that Clementine (Kate Winslet) no longer knows him, he decides to undergo the same procedure. Everybody wins, right? Wrong. The problem arises when he realizes, mid-procedure, that he doesn’t want to go through with it. He spends a good part of the movie hiding the memories deep in his head, giving the audience excellent insight into his character. The movie could have gone in a different direction, and I think this one is definitely intriguing.

I saw this movie twice in a theater and now I own it. Every time I watch it, I see a different side, or feel a different emotion. I have not tired of it. The plot is a little confusing the first time you see it, but I like that. It inspires discussion, and you can watch it a few times before you’ve found all of its hidden parts.

The soundtrack does a lot to subtly enhance the mood. The last song, which starts with the credits, is truly awesome.You are sitting in awe, trying to figure out what just happened during the last two hours, when in creeps this slow, sad tune with a clip of the couple running on the beach in the background. It plays over and over like a broken home video. And you sit there, watching the clip repeat as it strangely syncs with the haunting music, until they fade out and you’re left with nothing.

Ellen Kuras pulls off the cinematography seemingly effortlessly. She uses lighting and small tricks rather than grand special effects. I believe much of the film’s feeling is created by the almost-realness of it.

Kate Winslet is at her best as Clementine. She makes the character believable and funny; you really feel for her. Jim Carrey is also great. He pulls off the depression, the ironic funniness, and the desperate feelings that Joel experiences. They are a great match, and play well off each other.

“Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind” is Michel Gondry’s second movie. He already shows the great creative strangeness that appears in his later film “The Science of Sleep.” I really enjoy his movies because they are visually and mentally entertaining, and I look forward to seeing his other films. I give this movie five out of five stars.