22 Years Ago Today, This Unquestionable 10/10 Sci-Fi Masterpiece Released (but It’s Hard To Rewatch)

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There are several from across the genre that could fit into that category, but for me, the ultimate example is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which released on March 19th, 2004. For those unfamiliar, the movie, directed by Michel Gondry and written by Charlie Kaufman, stars Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as a couple (Joel and Clementine) who choose to have their memories of the other wiped after breaking up. It was well-received, with 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and winning Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars, but it’s aged into a true Sci-Fi classic.

Why Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind Is An All Time Great Sci-Fi (& Hard To Watch Again)

Image via Focus Features

The Sci-Fi concept at the heart of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a simple and genius one, and it does what so often separates the genre’s greats from the rest of the pack: uses that to explore the human condition. The memory wipe procedure is a narrative device, but it’s there to serve the story and characters, ensuring its grounded in the themes and emotions around memory and love that the film is exploring.

Every aspect of the film is incredible: Kaufman’s script is inventive and poignant, and it’s perfectly paired with (and elevated by) Gondry’s direction, which includes several creative in-camera effects and visual tricks. Carrey and Winslet both give among their very best performances, each playing against type: the former is more serious and vulnerable than we’re used to, the latter gives a freer, weirder performance than you typically expect, but they come together beautifully.

What really makes Eternal Sunshine so great is that, for a movie that so deeply explores memories, it’s one that is also, at times, so heartbreaking you wish you could forget it. As the credits roll, you’ll long for the same procedure that Joel and Clementine undergo. And yet, the very thing the movie explores is why, after time, I know I’ll revisit it: as the pain fades, we’re naturally inclined to remember the pleasure more, and so you try again.

To be clear, the movie absolutely rewards rewatching, especially because of its non-linear timeline that adds new context once you have full knowledge of it, it’s just tough to do so, but each time is an unforgettable experience. You can erase a movie from your mind, but getting it out of your heart is another story.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is available to stream on Hulu and Peacock.

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