The non-linear narrative of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” makes Joel and Clementine’s relationship feel more realistic because we see it in a surprising way, starting from anger and break up and moving back toward love and happiness.
This unique story telling sequence changes the emotions of the story. Instead of ending with pain, it ends with a relatively warm scene, so we understand why Joel wants to keep his memories. During the memory erasing scenes, where objects fade or spaces collapse almost like a dream. For instance, in the bookstore the titles on books disappear one by one and were not recognized by either of characters, This filming technique is really immersive and pretty interesting. Because the film is told mainly from Joel’s perspective, we would feel closer to his emotions. But we do not really know Clementine’s inner thoughts, so her character remains mysterious. This also made the entire film really interesting. Innovative visual and sound effects also guide us and contribute to emotions.
The bookstore scene is again a good example, where disappearing visuals and fading sound tell us the memory is almost gone. Finally, the film suggests that memory is essential, even if it brings both happiness and pain. When Joel remembers lying with Clementine on the frozen river, he feels both joy and fear, and this shows the film’s central idea which is probably memory is not an ugly thing even it has negative moments.