The Lost Past

If the movie's first half depicts an ordinary love affair, the second half takes us on a journey through Joel's memories as he watches them become increasingly surreal.

At the start of the movie, the two lovers appear to be a perfect match, leading viewers to believe that it is a love story. 

However, the progression of their relationship was disappointing as they developed a mutual dislike for each other, began to betray one another, and even contemplated erasing each other's memories. 

This ultimately led to a tragic outcome.

And in the movie, they have to look back on this tragedy. 

In order to rid yourself of unwanted memories, you must first confront and examine them one by one. This can be a difficult and uncomfortable process.

The same is true for Joel, who is trapped in his memory. He entered his memory and looked at the way Clementine slammed the door and left for the last time during the quarrel with Clementine.

It seems unclear whose fault it was: Clementine drove drunk and crashed the car.

When Joel accused her, he also suspected she was having an affair with another man. The two quarreled and disagreed, and Clementine left - this memory is not a happy one, no matter how you say it.

Those who want to wash away their memories don't like this, that's all.

However, Joel seemed to have forgotten that he was trapped in his memory. He chased Clementine loudly, trying to make her change her mind. However, Clementine ignored him and strode out of the door — This was his memory, his memory of the way Clementine did things.

"It was you who left me first! It was you who went to erase your memory first!"

Joel shouted loudly after chasing after Clementine. However, the person in memory did not stop for a moment because of his shouting. Clementine's figure walked in a different direction. Joel tried to catch up with her several times but could not stop her.

It seemed that it was only at this moment that Joel began to feel a little anxious. He didn't understand until this moment that Clementine would look like this picture in his memory once his memory was washed away. 

She wanted to leave himself forever and did not want any connection with him forever.

This result was unexpected when he was angry, but now he can't bear it.

At this time, attentive viewers have noticed all the changes at the movie's beginning. It seems that Joel's car is already broken. During the quarrel, Clementine's hair was not the dazzling blue but another flamboyant color, orange. The changes in these details seem to tell people something, but people can't grasp it.

And in his memory, he also heard the words of people outside: they were the doctor's two assistants, and their conversation also involved Clementine.

Apparently, Patrick, as the doctor's assistant, secretly took Clementine's information. He took her pleasant memories and wanted to go through them to gain Clementine's heart by learning about her.

This was a game to him: He was just in his early 20s. He has no scruples in calling Clementine an old woman behind her back, and he does not hesitate to use deceptive methods on her. 

What he desires is not love but lust.

Joel, who was lost in memory, heard all such things. It stands to reason it had nothing to do with him anymore: he and Clementine had broken up, and they no longer loved each other. 

But at this time, Joel shouted angrily, trying to break free.

 Even though they had broken up, Joel still couldn't bear it when he saw someone trying to harm Clementine.

 Unfortunately, he can't get out. Fortunately, the doctor's other assistant, Mary, arrived at this time. Her arrival interrupted Patrick's showoff and allowed Joel to continue looking back in his memory.

 As his memory flowed, the memory of his quarrel with Clementine had been erased, and then he began to recall the long-term awkward state between the two before the conflict.

 If the memories just now were completely painful, then these memories are embarrassing.

Clementine didn't pay any attention to Joel's jokes; Clementine wanted to have a child, but Joel believed that she was not mature enough to raise a child; Clementine's drinking problem made Joel worried that she'd go crazy after drinking too much...

Looking back on the process of this love gradually growing cold, it feels different from the feeling of falling apart. Those memories make people angry and uncomfortable, and these memories give people more mixed feelings. 

Even as a person at the time, he knew that these memories were not all correct. Looking back at them, his mood changed from anger to calmness.

At this time, new troubles occurred among the assistants outside. Patrick received a call from Clementine, and he said goodbye to Stan and Mary and went to see Clementine. Stan, who wanted to be alone with Mary, immediately agreed.

"I'll be right away, Orange Girl."

Patrick's voice brought the memory into a new chapter. He brought back memories of Joel giving her the nickname; Clementine had just dyed her hair orange.

These nicknames do not belong to Patrick but are the loving memories of Joel and Clementine.

At this time, the two people have not yet reached the point where they will fall out in the future. There is still a deep relationship between them. The two people were lying on the floor, and their intimate gestures and words made Joel, who was wandering in his memory, begin to recall the good times between the two of them.

After experiencing anger and calmness, Joel is now recalling those happy times. He and Clementine didn't already have a quarrel the first time they met. They also had happy and warm memories when they first met. Clementine does have a hot temper, but she also has her advantages. Those happy memories in love are still heartwarming.

"Leave this part to me..."

Joel, who was speaking in a low voice, began to realize that if this continued, it would not be a good ending: not all of his memories of Clementine are troubled and sad; in his memory, there were still many lovely things about Clementine.

However, the process of memory erasure did not stop there. This scene was quickly shattered. Such a beautiful memory is gone forever. This made Joel feel disappointed.

At this time, wandering in his memory, he came to the Charles River. On the frozen ice of the Charles River, Joel and Clementine lay looking at the sky.

This shot had already appeared once when the two people met at the beginning of the movie, but this time, the shot that appeared again was a bit surprising: this time, Clementine had long, fiery red hair.

Obviously, there is a reason for this. The movie seems to proceed in reverse, so does this mean that the opening scene is not the first time they meet?

By this point, the audience has already guessed something.

A couple looked at the stars romantically on the ice. Such memories are obviously very warm. However, just when this warm memory made happiness sprout in Joel's heart, Clementine was suddenly pulled into the darkness!

The sudden disaster reminds Joel that this is memory, and everything will be eliminated!

If painful memories are erased, it can make people happy, but if happy memories are easily erased, it makes people uncomfortable.

"Let's get out of here. Hurry up, I have to escape from here!"

Finally, Joel has made up his mind: he no longer wants his memory to be erased because he knows very well that for him, nothing is more precious than these memories.

Without memory, how can people carry their joy and sorrow? Those memories are the proof of human existence.

Joel, in memory, made up his mind to retain his memory at this time, and Clementine, in reality, also confirmed the sadness of losing her memory at this time.

After meeting Patrick, she cried about her life: After erasing her memory, she felt that her life was lost. She could not accept this unknown change and felt it was unbearable. She didn't know what she had lost, but she knew very well that she was not happy.

And for this, Patrick was already prepared. He affectionately called Clementine the nickname Joel gave her and used the gifts Joel bought for Clementine to please Clementine - these things are all Clementine's favorite memories. 

Mastering other people's memories, how could these methods of trying to please fail?

Clementine seemed a little surprised when she received the gift. She has always wanted this gift, but no one understands her so well in her memory. Patrick's kindness to her made her feel surprised and somewhat incredible.

In her ears was the nickname Patrick had specially learned, and in her hands was the gift that most suited her. Logically speaking, everything was perfect. However, Clementine didn't feel perfect about it.

"Let's go to the Charles River. Go now!" Clementine said.

This requirement is a bit difficult for Patrick. He didn't want to go to the Charles River. More importantly, he came to spend a wonderful evening with Clementine. 

He brought gifts and called Clementine in a friendly tone, all for the sake of it. To be able to make Clementine fall in love with him so that he can get this beauty. As for other things, he didn't like them very much.

However, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and accept it all.

He agreed and called Stan to tell him he could not return. At this time, Stan, who was already a little delirious from eating marijuana cookies with Mary, was enjoying the time spent with Mary, and he agreed immediately.

After agreeing to go out with Clementine, Clementine cried again and hugged Patrick. Patrick did everything well. He was like the perfect partner, saying the perfect words of love, choosing the perfect gifts, and making the perfect choices.

However, Clementine knows very well that what she has lost cannot be filled by this perfection: all of this is good, but this is not love.

*****

Thanks and kudos for my patreons 

Marcelo Maia

Britanna

Mandy G

Scott DePaepe

Danny York

MMMCMXCIX, or 3,999

You can read advanced chapters on my Patreon account: https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.