That Other Girl
Kate Winslet's character in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is also a kooky, spontaneous gal. But Kate is, in fact, a fully-developed character. Her quirkiness and seemingly attractive spontaneity are more than just character trappings... these traits are complex, and actually play a part in the unfolding of the story.
Kate's quirky characteristics are complex in a number of ways, but mainly because of this: Kate herself is aware of them, and how she is perceived. The character --and, by extension, the film-- knows the character is a collection of trinkets with colourfully dyed hair. The minute the character acknowledges this fact, and rather sadly, is the minute I start to actually buy into the character. Hmm-- she knows she's kind of empty and potentially tiresome. Interesting!
(If you want me to love a character? Have them kind of hate themselves. Push me away from them, and I'll come running.)
The quirkiness of this character also plays a clear part in the actual story. It is Kate who, upset after her breakup with Jim, and on a whim that looks like a cocaine high, decides to get the memory-erasing service... launching us into the rest of the story, with all its suffering. Jim never would have had the service if he weren't traumatized and angered by the fact that she had. That she had, on a whim, erased him. Ergo, her character isn't just supposed to be lovely and weird and fun... the action of the story wouldn't be possible without the failings of this particular character.
Plus, the whole point of the movie is that imperfect people must take a go at love, regardless of the potentially disastrous consequences... the theme of the film would be undermined if any character were adorably perfect.
How does this work in Garden State? "Everyone who needs to be a part of the world again, find yourself a perfect specimen of the human race such as Natalie Portman, and hang on!!"
Finally, if one of my complaints about the character in Garden State is that I believe it's actually going to take effort to be with her in the long run, and I lose a little respect for a protagonist who can't see that... well, I can't have the same complaint here: in Eternal Sunshine, both characters know she's gonna be hell to live with in the long run, but they take the chance anyway.
Kate k.o.'s Natalie in the first round. Tune in next time, for Kirsten Dunst v. Rachel McAdams.
Kate Winslet's character in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is also a kooky, spontaneous gal. But Kate is, in fact, a fully-developed character. Her quirkiness and seemingly attractive spontaneity are more than just character trappings... these traits are complex, and actually play a part in the unfolding of the story.
Kate's quirky characteristics are complex in a number of ways, but mainly because of this: Kate herself is aware of them, and how she is perceived. The character --and, by extension, the film-- knows the character is a collection of trinkets with colourfully dyed hair. The minute the character acknowledges this fact, and rather sadly, is the minute I start to actually buy into the character. Hmm-- she knows she's kind of empty and potentially tiresome. Interesting!
(If you want me to love a character? Have them kind of hate themselves. Push me away from them, and I'll come running.)
The quirkiness of this character also plays a clear part in the actual story. It is Kate who, upset after her breakup with Jim, and on a whim that looks like a cocaine high, decides to get the memory-erasing service... launching us into the rest of the story, with all its suffering. Jim never would have had the service if he weren't traumatized and angered by the fact that she had. That she had, on a whim, erased him. Ergo, her character isn't just supposed to be lovely and weird and fun... the action of the story wouldn't be possible without the failings of this particular character.
Plus, the whole point of the movie is that imperfect people must take a go at love, regardless of the potentially disastrous consequences... the theme of the film would be undermined if any character were adorably perfect.
How does this work in Garden State? "Everyone who needs to be a part of the world again, find yourself a perfect specimen of the human race such as Natalie Portman, and hang on!!"
Finally, if one of my complaints about the character in Garden State is that I believe it's actually going to take effort to be with her in the long run, and I lose a little respect for a protagonist who can't see that... well, I can't have the same complaint here: in Eternal Sunshine, both characters know she's gonna be hell to live with in the long run, but they take the chance anyway.
Kate k.o.'s Natalie in the first round. Tune in next time, for Kirsten Dunst v. Rachel McAdams.
posted by Jennica at 9:39 a.m.
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