CLEMENTINE

A movie that has profoundly inluenced me is ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND.
I think it is a very beautiful movie some themes of which are redemption, forgiveness, acceptance of imperfections of others and of life. (The movie-mainly by Charlie Kaufman (yeay for Charlie Kaufman)- DOES include sex outside of marriage. Though Charlie's characters embrace that lifestyle, and the movie portrays that as a possible root to happiness-which is not part of my value system, I accept that as a story line that appeals to many people.)
I want to talk a very beautiful part of that movie that really expressed a concern/phenomenon that I believe really needs expressing. I AM GIVING YOU A SPOILER ALERT HERE IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE MOVIE W/O KNOWING STUFF ABOUT IT: At the start of the movie, which we later find out is closer to the end of the story, the two main characters/the dear ones/ the romantic couple meet for what they think is the first time. When she tells him her name is Clementine, he, Joel, says, "Oh cool. Did you know that means 'merciful'?" It was only later that I realized that Joel was only able to come up with that true original meaning for the name "Clementine" because all of his previous memories of meeting Clementine and learning her name had been erased. Because of that, all the "joke-y"
meanings -"Oh my darlin', oh my darlin'. . ." , the cartoon hounddog, and the diminutive delicious oranges- had been erased from his memory along with all his previous memories of her. How sweet and transcendent that Joel thought of 'merciful' when heard "Clementine." Was Author Charlie commenting on how clogged all our communications are with silly, "joke-y" talk; that we are so geared
toward making jokes and being amusing (and amused) and appearing smart, that we have become poor in meaningful communication?