Hey folks, Harry here... sorry, extracurricular activities have been keeping me away from the site the past couple of days... but don't worry, all is good... ANYWAY... Here's an early review, not our first, but another look at one of the most highly anticipated films in post-production right now... at least for me. I love this screenplay dearly and this review is a bit odd... What's odd? Well, I seem to think he liked the movie, but he seems to miss that it isn't the standard Jim Carrey comedy... and why on Earth would he want that? Hmmmm... Beware of SPOILERS... Here ya go...
Harry,
This is my first time contacting and I want to tell you I love the site.
Recently, I caught an early screening of Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This was written by the great Charlie Kaufman and directed by Michael Gondry. I thought their last effort together, Human Nature, was a bit soulless. But Sunshine is excellent. It's a big fat bleeding romance. Jim Carey stars along with Kate Winslet. Usually walking into a Jim Carey film, that's not a balls-out comedy, we're posed with the problem, will the "Jim Carey-isms" leak out? In this film they don't.
The story is, Jim Carey discovers that his girl Kate has enlisted a company to erase him from her memory. Jim is pissed. His best friend (David Cross) tells him what's up. Cross should be everyone's best friend. Jim flips and hires the company to do the same, erase Kate from his memory. Then the wonderful madness ensues.
A large majority of the film takes place in Jim's head. He and his girl re-live all of the memories being erased and (tiny spoiler) in the midst decides, "we were actually happy sometimes, I change my mind." But it ain't that easy Jim, you can't call it off once it starts.
The techs from the erasing company are Elijah Wood and Mark Ruffalo. Here's one problem with Rufallo and the film. Ruffalo walks that dangerous line of stealing every scene he's in. His character is strictly a plot character, but comes across as one of the most intriguing. He's so freaking funny and cool and dumb you just want to hang out with him and watch him screw things up and hit on chicks. And Elijah Wood is really creepy in this. He's that character, that we all hate in ourselves but live with everyday.
Gondry knows what he's doing with this one and this is Carey's best roll to date. After the film I was a little sad that Carey didn't have frozen snot running out of his nose, talk through his butt, or invent a brand new catch-phrase, but then again, it would have ruined the film. He is very very boring in this, which is why it's perfect. Bruce Almighty was almighty horrible. You can also see how old Carey is getting. That elastic face is aging quickly, and that's a compliment. He's looking like a man. I think if he sticks with wise decisions like this, he could have a career along the lines of the aging Walken. Oh yeah, Kirsten is hot. She has one of those crying scenes that she's really good at too.
Kate Winslet is weird in this film. She's almost annoying, but leaves you mixed because she's so sexy. She's the girl in the bookstore that you want to go drink with and make out with but fear that she'll talk your head off about The Cure or some dumb book. And I like The Cure. Her curves are spot on though. Winslet is all woman. Dunst looks like a "girl" next to her.
Pretty much, Kaufman is showing off again. But he's also letting us know that every memory counts. Girls and guys fight, but when you're in love, screw it, hang in there. I find it interesting that Kaufman is obviously the most inventive new-millennium writer today, but he's also always sure to slam you on the head with a big old timey "and the moral of the story is."
Hope this helps, D$
