Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: the name alone instantly tells the movie-goer that this is not your typical Hollywood blockbuster. Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich) has masterfully created yet another off-beat, bizarre and thought-provoking film, with the final sculpting provided by novice director Michael Gondry (Human Nature). In Eternal Sunshine, Jim Carrey (Bruce Almighty) plays the role of Joel Barish, a dull, typical working-class man. He meets an eccentric bookstore employee named Clementine Kruczynski, played by Kate Winslet (Titanic). Their unlikely romance blooms, until they get in a fight. When Joel goes to visit Clementine at work the next day, she appears to have no recollection of him whatsoever.

Joel discovers that Clementine has had her memory removed by Lacuna Inc.-specifically the memories involving the two of them. Seemingly in retaliation, Joel decides to have his memory erased, and that is where Kaufman takes over this movie. The audience is transported into Joel's head, along the "map" that was plotted in his subconscious.

The real story behind this sprawling, elegant tale is the creative genius of Charlie Kaufman. The uneasiness that Carrey exudes in this film is partially attributed to the fantastic writing, as if it is confessions of the insecure mind. Kaufman's ability to create awkward characters is unparalleled. Furthermore, no one dares to muse about the mundane like Kaufman, demonstrated when Carrey thinks that, "sand is over-rated. It's just a bunch of small rocks."

As a relative newcomer, having directed music videos and only one other feature film, Michael Gondry masterfully directs this movie. He takes a confusing and notably bizarre script and creates an engaging and moving film. It flows well, with only a couple sticky parts where the audience is reeling to catch up with the fast-moving story. This hyper-speed is not Gondry's fault, but rather is a function of the confusing and bizarre timing of the movie.

At first it is difficult to discern where the plot is, as Kaufman has no qualms disrupting the space-time continuum. The movie takes place in reverse chronological order with occasional sojourns into the present, ultimately fusing past and present to build to the movies' climax. Gondry needed tight, stylistic directing to keep it fused together, but he went beyond the call of duty by creating seamless landscapes of the subconscious.

At one point in the movie, Joel says to Clementine, "constantly talking is not necessarily communicating." Jim Carrey, while delivering arguably the finest performance of his career, proves this to be true. Commonly known for his goofy antics and physical comedy, Carrey is serious without letting his unique personality disappear completely. His eyes carry entire scenes, and he is more than capable of communicating his emotions without words. Even in some of his other serious roles, his innate oddness slips through, whereas in this movie his acting is perfectly on the ball and poignant.

Kate Winslet is also terrific in this movie, and her chemistry with Carrey is surprisingly strong, and real. Her performance is no less touching than Carrey's, and the two of them are spectacular in their leading roles.

No less notable is the performances of the supporting cast. Mark Ruffalo (You Can Count on Me) and Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings) are the Lacuna Inc. technicians, with Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman) as the company's receptionist. While their professionalism as employees is suspect, their acting is superb, displaying their youth and relative inexperience in a comedic and artful fashion. The entire supporting cast perfectly compliments the two stars, and turns this movie into an all-embodying experience.

Where this film deviates from nearly all others-which highlights the difference between Charlie Kaufman and other screenwriters-is that there is no contrived emotion that an audience member is "supposed" to feel. When walking out of this movie, I did not know if I should cry or laugh or be just plain confused. The ambiguity of the ending is designed tso the viewer can be taken in two very different paths, depending on the disposition of the person. Depending on one's take on the ending, the movie can be construed as either depressing or uplifting. Kaufman's genius lies in his ability to create two polar opposite scenarios that are both equally plausible and that will vary from person to person.

For all Charlie Kaufman fans, this movie is a must-see. It features fantastic acting, writing and directing, which is very encouraging coming from someone with relative inexperience. This movie is unlikely to be the one that thrusts Charlie Kaufman into the realm of blockbusters, as it may be a little too bizarre for the mainstream. But for anyone who wants a little off-kilter entertainment, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a must-see.