Maia Wyman
ig Publishing
3 June 2025
184
eBook - PDF
Non-Fiction
ARC via Edelweiss
Two decades ago, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind pierced the hearts of audiences with its poignant autopsy of a relationship gone wrong. Yet depending on the angle with which it’s watched, the film looks completely different: happy or sad, triumphant or tragic, therapeutic or heart-wrenching.
Combining film exegesis with memoir, author and YouTube celebrity Maia Wyman takes a look at Eternal Sunshine as she comes to terms with the tumultuous dissolution of a relationship in her life. Wyman takes the reader on a journey through the making of the film, from inception to production, to internet popularity and beyond. She dissects what the film means to fans, as well as the people who made it—some of whom were, themselves, grappling with difficult breakups. Wyman comes to realize, as the main characters, Joel and Clementine do, that no matter how hard we try, in the end, our painful memories are as important as the happy ones.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a film I have long loved, and it's hard to believe it's already been over 20 years since its release. In this book, Maia Wyman examines the film, combining a behind-the-scenes look at its production with consideration of its impact, all tied in with how she views the movie in light of her own relationship breakups. There were moments when the latter took over the narrative a little too much for my liking, but mostly this was well balanced, and it was interesting to hear some of the background to the film's inception and production. It certainly made me think more about the movie for the first time in a while and I would now like to give it a rewatch. I am giving this book 4 stars. It's worth a read if you enjoy film critiques and are a fan of the movie.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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