The Ultimate Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Quiz

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is a heart-wrenching movie that blends drama with comedy and a sci-fi twist. Is it a morose take on modern life or story about true love?

Jim Carrey, the man with the plastic face, plays the role of Joel Barish, a shy man who falls in love with a free-spirited woman.

Joel falls head over heels for Clementine, a hipster type who loves to dye her hair outrageous colors. She is as outgoing as Joel is withdrawn.

Michel Gondry served as director. He also worked on projects such as "The Green Hornet" and "The We and the I."

The movie's title comes from a centuries-old poem called, "Eloisa to Abelard." It was published by Alexander Pope in the early 1700s.

The story takes place almost entirely in New York. It was filmed on location.

He skips work and rides the Long Island train. While on the train, he meets a talkative woman named Clementine. Their chance meeting opens a new path for both of them.

They don't remember, but the two new acquaintances actually already knew each other. They just didn't recall their previous encounters.

Kate Winslet plays the part of Clementine. Winslet, of course, is famous for dozens of blockbuster movies like "Titantic."

They were lovers who spent two years of their lives together. But modern science made it possible for them to forget all about one another.

Clementine decided to visit a company that selectively deletes human memories. Then? She has her memories of Joel wiped from her brain.

For 2004 (and considering the quality cast) the movie had a very affordable price of $20 million. It certainly made enough money to satisfy studio executives.

The film more than made back its $20 million budget it. It grossed around $73 million worldwide.

Joel is devastated that Clementine would pay to have him erased from her mind. He isn't sure how he will survive this revelation.

Joel figures that if it worked for her, it will work for him, too. He decides to have his memories of Clementine wiped from his brain.

Michael Gondry really wanted Nicholas Cage to play Joel. But given his top-level performance, it's hard to see anyone but Jim Carrey in the part.

As Joel drifts into unconsciousness, he suddenly changes his mind -- he wants to keep the memories of Clementine. He begins an inner struggle to resist the erasing process.

The movie was certainly a hit. It was nominated in two Academy Awards categories, not seven.

It wasn't nominated for Best Actor. Kate Winslet was nominated for Best Actress, and the movie won Best Writing for an Original Screenplay.

He tries to wake himself up … but fails. So he begins a frantic attempt to "hide" memories of Clementine throughout his brain.

Charlie Kaufman wrote the screenplay. He and Gondry, along with Pierre Bismuth, shared credit for creating the story.

Constant recoloring would have ruined Winslet's hair. The costume department used wigs to achieve the colorful hipster look.

Mary had an affair with the company president, and after his wife learns of the relationship, she insists that Mary erase those memories. In part due to guilt, Mary agrees.

Director Gondry wanted Carrey to feel restricted by his emotionally-trapped character, so he wasn’t allowed to ad lib any of his lines. The other actors, though, were given much more free rein with their lines.

Critics -- then and now -- hail the movie as a masterpiece. Some regard it as one of the best films to appear in decades.

Gondry was working on the final stages of the film when his girlfriend left him. Perhaps their dying relationship added a dose of reality to the movie.

You can't order a deletion of specific memories just yet. But for years, researchers have been able to manipulate minute aspects of animal memories and reactions. It may not be long before you can custom order a process to erase your own memories.

They both suddenly realize that they already had a relationship. They are amazed that they can't remember one another.

Mary, the receptionist from the memory company, is so angry about her own erased memories that she sends company records to all former customers. Joel and Clementine are shocked that they used to be lovers, and Joel tries to convince Clementine that they should start over again.

She's very uncertain about pursuing such a strange path, but Joel's earnestness wins her over. After erasing each other from their memories, they decide to start over and make new ones.