5. Stan Fink - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Focus FeaturesLacuna is the memory erasing firm which purportedly allows mismatched couples who cant get over eachother to have the memories of the relationship completely erased from their minds. This preposterous yet growing firm is even audacious enough to advertise a Valentines Day Special. It is the work these brain technicians carry out on Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) and Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet) which drives the narrative of the superb, trippy Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The people carrying out the audacious task of deleting memories directly from the minds of the ill-fated lovers are far from the crack team of scientists you would want them to be. Dr. Mierzwiak and his team of assistants Stan (Mark Ruffalo), Patrick (Elijah Wood) and Mary (Kirsten Dunst) are far less competent than you would hope. They are at first presented as periphery character but their own problems eventually come to the fore Ruffalos Stan certainly isnt the sort of person you would want meddling in your mind. Though gifted on the computer, the stoner is far too relaxed to attempt such a sensitive operation. Indeed he sleeps with girlfriend Mary on the job and seems powerless when Joel goes off the map. Ruffalos relaxed acting style is perfect when hes telling everybody to mellow out when the procedure takes a turn for the worst. When he is forced to awaken boss Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson) from his slumber, Ruffalos ability to play the beta-male who is more than willing to take direction from an alpha works superbly.