**** SPOILER ALERT **** SPOILER ALERT ****

A guest review from a friend of That Guy Named David, who files this review under the sobriquet "View from Mars":

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (A-). I read this script about a year ago as everything Kaufman interests me. What I got from the script is more or less reinforced in the movie version, being that it is a unique and original relationship story with a twist. The mere mention of Charlie Kaufman being attached to anything pretty much goes without saying. The "unique and original" relationship is that between Joel and Clementine played perfectly by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. These two characters meet, they fall in love and experience the humanistic nature that every relationship endures...good times and bad times. The "twist" aspect to this plot comes in the form of a corporation that can erase bad memories from your mind i.e. deaths, broken and painful relationships, etc... Soon enough, we find Carrey's Joel applying and later going through the mind erasure procedure. The majority of the movie then plays out in Joel's head as his memories become nonexistent and we come to explore and understand Joel and Clementine's relationship through a series of flashbacks, until Joel realizes he wants out. Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Wilkinson round out the supporting cast who each play an important part in the ensuing story. It's hard to figure out how this movie will play out commercially and you don't necessarily have to be a fan of Kaufman's work to enjoy it. The acting by the two leads is perfect (although I do know some people who have a problem with Carrey as an actor if he's not doing his usual screwball, slap-sticky comedy). That being said, the movie worked on various levels (acting, plot, the mind erasure gimmicks) and upon leaving the theatre I couldn't help but recall that age-old quote "Those who do not remember history are condemned to repeat it."