2. Joel Barish and Clementine Kruczynski - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I have long debated whether this remarkable film is essentially optimistic or pessimistic. It definitely isn't your run-of-the-mill romance, and so it follows that it's portrayal of love is far from black and white. There's a scene near the start where Clementine (Kate Winslet) takes the rather reluctant Joel (Jim Carrey) out onto a lake of ice. "I think I should go back", he says. "What if it breaks?" And in four words the actor who built a career on eccentric facial expressions and shouting has got to the crux of this film. What if it breaks? A few cuts later and we find out what happens if things do break - a pain so great that it leads to the desire to wipe all trace of former bliss from one's memory. Luckily a doctor and his team provide just such a service. And so (as the memory wipe progresses) we take a reverse trip through Joel and Clementine's relationship, starting with the dying embers - every irritated glance and awkward meal ("the dining dead"). At these points we're wondering if this is what it comes to, then what's the bloody point? But then we get to the happier memories. And Joel quickly realises that there are things he doesn't want to lose. When, in the final memory (the one in which they first meet), Clementine reminds Joel that this is it; that after this is wiped there will be nothing left of her in his mind, and questions what they do now, Joel has perhaps the perfect answer. "Enjoy it".