Michel Gondry's film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, attempts to answer the age-old question of whether or not it is better to have loved and lost than to never having loved. all. The film greatly explores the importance of memories and how they impact our own futures. Gondry uses motifs as well as cinematic techniques to enhance Joel's memories and complex narrative. With such complex themes and symbols, the common patterns found in the film can help guide the audience. Joel's experiences lead him to erase all of Clementine's good and bad memories, prompting the audience to respond to his feelings of regret. Gondry allows the audience to empathize with Joel, the film's protagonist, and even encourages the audience to look into their own memories. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the 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 blossomed over two years, but unfortunately ended in heartbreak for both characters. As Joël discovers that Clementine is unwisely undergoing a medical procedure to erase all of her memories, he is so hurt that he decides to find the doctor and demands 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 most precious memories of Clementine. Appearing throughout the film, Gondry uses the element of direction and cinematography to present 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 opening 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 in the morning after memory-wiping surgery. The morning sunlight is bright and the only source of light in the scene. Waking up to the natural light of the morning sun provides the feeling of a new beginning, even if the audience feels that something is missing from the scene. His facial expressions are rather blank, indicating his now "impeccable" mind. Although there is no dialogue in the opening scene, the minimalist arrangement of the background music reinforces the feeling of a life that is somewhat lacking in emotion. 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 makes the connection necessary to understand his emotional transformation. Once introduced into Joel's memory, Gondry uses more cinematography to create a clear message about what Joel is experiencing. Perhaps the most remarkable element of cinema is the use of hand-held cameras. This clumsy and imperfect technique recreates the effect of home video footage, an illusion that reinforces the subjectivity of the memory scenes. This technique is very effective in differentiating memories from reality. Another effect used to convey memory is the use of blurred camera movements. The first memory erased is that of Joël's last conversation with Clémentine. The scene begins with a shot of Joe lying on his bed listening to a conversation in the hall. The next shot shows him scared and confused as the.