The Ending of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Since the film has been out for a few years, I’m not too worried about spoiling it for anyone, but if you haven’t seen it and plan to, be warned that the ending is revealed.

I finally saw this movie after years of desiring to do so.  I thought it was fantastic, but I only wish to comment on the ending here.

In sum, Joel and Clementine have erased each other from their memories after their romance devolves over the course of a year.  While this erasure is happening, Joel becomes aware that it is happening, regrets it, and does his best to fight the process, ultimately failing with the exception of a debatable portion.  Joel and Clementine then meet again not knowing that they once knew each other and romance begins again.

I thought the movie would have ended here.  It didn’t.  Rather, one of the employees involved in the erasure reveals the erasure to them and gives them tapes of what they said about one another before the erasure.  The content, the detraction, and the calumny are quite cruel, and they both hear what the other had to say about them.  It appears as though they will once again end the relationship, but upon full disclosure of their own weaknesses and knowing the pitfalls they will likely encounter, they still decide to begin again.

Initially, I was disappointed that the film continued after the re-meeting.  It seemed much more romantic that they should begin again afresh.  Yet it didn’t take long for me to change my mind.  Had they stayed together in this fashion, it would have justified the erasure and destroyed the point emphasized in the rest of the film, that identity is tied up in memory.  It was far more romantic that they chose each other knowing full well what their past had been.

~ by The Accountant on March 28, 2008.