The early 2000s movie that actors and directors call one of the best of the 21st century
What are the movie makers' favorite movies?
The New York Times posed that question recently, polling some 500 notable directors, actors and Hollywood players to compile a list of the 100 best films of the 21st century. The result – a polarizing and comprehensive tour of modern movie magic – was published this month.
Among the varied titles that made the list, one 2000s flick emerged as a favorite among actors and directors alike. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," Michel Gondry's 2004 heartbreak epic, landed at No. 7 on the list, just behind No. 1 pick "Parasite."
Among the big names who voted for it were Australian actress Toni Colette, "Succession" star Brian Cox, and horror film director Robert Eggers.
The movie, which stars Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey, turns the classic rom-com formula on its head, imagining if a recently split couple had the power to erase all memories of one another. The resulting film is a heartwrenching exploration of how we are shaped by love and the inevitability of pain as an accompaniment to vulnerability.
"It's really smart. It's deeply moving. And it's funny. You can get all those three, which is rare," author Dennis Lehane wrote of the movie alongside his vote for the list.
"It's very much about how love finds a way. And I don't mean that in the sunny Hallmark way. I mean that in the messy, sometimes destructive, sometimes self-destructive way," wrote Lehane, a novelist and screenwriter whose books, such as "Mystic River" and "Shutter Island," have been adapted into popular films.
Other stars who cast a ballot for "Eternal Sunshine" included "The Help" star Bryce Dallas Howard and "Barbie" actor Simu Liu. Rachel Zegler, who was born just three years before the movie was released, also listed it as one of her favorites, as did novelist Curtis Sittenfeld.
That the film has a cult following among even A-listers is no surprise. Since its early 2000s release, it has become an unbreakable part of the cultural vocabulary. Pop star Ariana Grande's most recent album, "Eternal Sunshine," drew heavily from the themes of the film, her music video for one of the tracks even recreating scenes from the movie.
With Carrey in a rare serious role, and a star-studded supporting cast including Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood and Mark Ruffalo, the movie's grasp on the bodily violence of heartbreak continues to earn it new fans.