113 Minutes
Rated “R”
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
Written By: Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan
Staring: Guy Pearce, Carrie Ann Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Jorja Fox
Review:
Christopher Nolan made his mark as a writer and director in the world of cinema with Memento in the year 2000. This twisted and dark movie masked through the eyes of man with short term memory loss is a film puzzled over and analyzed, only to still leave it’s viewers with a sense of awe in the wake of it’s originality and concept. The story itself is compelling, but the manner in which it’s delivered is nothing short of innovation.
"Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car. And memories can be distorted. They're just an interpretation, they're not a record, and they're irrelevant if you have the facts. " -Leonard
A man wakes up and the only thing he knows everyday when he comes to in a crappy hotel room is that he has tattoo’s and Polaroid photos with the clues about the man who murdered his wife. He does not know how long it’s been since her death, only that she is gone and his mission is to find who did it. Each day he begins his confused hunt, hoping to bring himself closer to discovering who the killer is. The viewer is stuck in Leonard’s (Guy Pearce) deranged world and is equally disoriented as the film is told in a reverse form of chronology. And since the last thing Leonard can remember from his long term memory is the murder of his wife, it becomes his driving force for existence, as it is a fresh memory each day as he wakes up.
The plot makes one hundred different twists and turns that would have been shocking if even told in it’s actual chronological order, but the bewilderment of Lenny and the fact that he forgets what’s transpired the next day, though the viewer always remembers, is absolutely genius in it’s construction. The way Lenny, when confronted with certain horrific truths, manipulates and uses his own disorder to bring vengeance and order against those that have used and betrayed him is brilliant.
The torturous existence Leonard lives is portrayed in the way Memento is shot. It’s objective is to relate as much as possible with 
Leonard, thereby putting you in his world. For example, the film is also shot in a mix of color and black and white, which while has a purposeful intent, tends to send the viewer into an even greater state of confusion, which makes a connection to Leonard’s state of mind.
Memento is a shocking and exhilarating film that challenges what movies have created up to that point. It stands out in a sea of films that are look-alike copycats. It’s originality is without restraints and was a precursor of what the Nolan brothers would deliver in the future. Edgy, engaging, and implementing a sense of genius in a film that’s main purpose was to entertain. It is a plush combination of brilliant casting, utterly mind boggling writing, unique directing, and perfect editing. It’s appeal may not be to everyone, but the groundbreaking technique and masterful execution marks in the books, and is a distinct marker of the films that stood out in it’s decade.
Spot on!
4 Stars…that’s a no brainer:P Perfect editing is right as that’s the only way this movie works. Try it forward and there’s not much to it, especially no a-ha a the end. Great write up Heather. Belated Happy New Year to you and the rest of the Mobsters.
Funny enough I was just thinking about this. Reading this puts a little perspective on the Inception ending. It’s ambiguous sure but if you think about it, has Nolan ever made a film with a happy ending?? The answer to that my friends should help you decide how you feel about Inception:)
I love Memento. I need to watch it agsin. It’s been awhile. I do believe if you watched all the black and white scenes in order, they would end where the color stuff would chronologically begin… if that makes sense. It’s been awhile but I think that was our assessment.
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Great review. I still maintain that MEMENTO is my favourite film of all time. What’s best is how, because of the structure, the twists seem so totally organic rather than feeling overly set-up.
Tom recently posted..
It’s interesting that a decade after this, Nolan is still making movies about heroes who disconnect from reality– to varying degrees of course, but disconnecting nonetheless– between The Dark Knight and Inception. While Memento might still be his best movie (it’s really a toss-up between it and the aforementioned 2010 masterwork), what I find most compelling about it today is how its themes seem to continue to inform the rest of Nolan’s body of work so much.
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One of my favorite psychological thriller type movies, Christopher Nolan is brilliant!
The fact that Leonard becomes a villain right before your eyes is… unsettling.
Fitz recently posted..
And now I’m interested in this movie. I’ve always been a sucker for psychological movies.
Totally agree with you Heather, it’s a brilliant movie. Sometimes I have to pinch myself when thinking about how smart the script is – the thought that went into it is immense. I think Nolan has done other films more straight forward in their entertainment value like The Prestige (my personal favourite of his work) but this might well be his best film.
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Totally agree with you Heather, it’s a brilliant movie. I still maintain that MEMENTO is my favourite film of all time.
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