Michel Gondry's film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, tries to answer the age-old question of whether or not it is better to have loved and lost than not have ever loved Everything. The film explores a lot about the importance of memories and how they impact one's future. Gondry uses models along with cinematic techniques to enhance Joel's memories and complex narrative. With such complicated themes and symbols, common patterns present in the film can help audiences navigate through it. Joel's experiences cause him to take away all the good and bad memories of Clementine, which causes the audience to react to his sense of regret. Gondry allows the audience to sympathize with Joel, the film's protagonist, and even encourages them to look at their own memories. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind tells the story of a passionate, but clearly incompatible, romance between Joel Barish and Clementine Kruczynski. Their relationship blossoms over the span of two years, but unfortunately ends in heartbreak for both characters. When Joel discovers Clementine recklessly undergoing a medical procedure to remove all memories of him, he is so hurt that he decides to track down the doctor and requests the same operation. However, halfway through the procedure, Joel begins to regret his impulsive decision and begins to realize the importance of his past, as well as learning the inevitable pain that comes with losing some of his fondest memories of Clementine. Evident throughout the film, Gondry uses the element of mise-en-scène and cinematography to introduce Joel's thought process and state of mind. Even when it's not a memory, the focus is always on Joel and his reactions to the world around him. The first shots are very significant both in terms of introducing the narrative structure and stylistic implications. The film opens with a fade-in from black to a close-up of an unshaven Joel, waking up the morning after his memory-wipe operation. The morning sunlight is intense and is the only light source in the scene. The act of waking up to the natural light of the morning sun provides the feeling of a new beginning, even if the audience feels something is missing from the scene. His facial expressions are rather blank, indicating his now "immaculate" mind. Although there is no dialogue in the opening scene, the minimalist arrangement of the background music reinforces the feeling of a somewhat emotionless life. This confusing and empty scene begins to establish the importance of past events. Throughout, Gondry keeps the audience in Joel's memories so that the audience forms a connection necessary to understand his emotional transformation. Once introduced into Joel's memory, Gondry further uses cinematography to create a clear message about what Joel is experiencing. Perhaps the most noticeable element of the cinematography is the use of hand-held cameras. This awkward and imperfect technique recreates the effect of home video footage, an illusion that enhances the subjectivity of the memory scenes. This technique is very effective in distinguishing between memories and reality. Another effect used to convey memory is the use of camera motion blur. The first erased memory is of Joel's last conversation with Clementine. The scene begins with a shot of Joe lying in bed listening to a conversation from the hall. The next shot shows him scared and confused while the faces of his neighbors are blurred behind.