Don't forget to see "Memento"

Rating: Null/10 (17 February 2002)

I rented Memento tonight after many of my friends raved over it. Trusting their judgment, I gave it a go.
It was exactly what I expected it to be: ground-breaking in screenplay and not overly "arthousey". It doesn't scream, "I'm an iconoclast!". It's genuine. It's intriguing.
Guy Pierce plays Leonard Shelby, the high-cheekboned main character who suffers from "a condition"--that condition being he has no short-term memory. He describes it as constantly "waking up" from the night his wife was murdered--which is the last long-term event he can recall. Now, he pursues to seek revenge against the killer, tattooing himself and writing notes so that he won't forget the clues along the way.
What makes this movie so gripping is the fact that the story is told backwards! The effect is so that we somehow are placed into Leonard's shoes, not knowing what he's doing or why he's relating with a certain character until we recall what happened earlier. The result is twists and turns--endless surprises. You never know who is "good" or "bad." It's not your traditional feel-good movie, now, is it? Writer-Director Christopher Nolan is a genius; the broad scope of his imagination is clearly evident in this film. We're never left with a "boring" scene; instead, the two hours just fly by because you're so immersed with what's going on--and wringing your hands over what will happen next.
Expect to be confused... expect to think. Memento is a must-see for serious drama-seeking movie-goers, not those who are willing to shell out $12 at theatres to watch some commercially over-rated air-head fluff and eyecandy graphics that has become the norm in Hollywood. Ugh. I'm sorry, but that's not my idea of "entertainment."
I'm glad that there's still people out there willing to make such an excellent film such as this, without going overboard on advertising it. Word-of-mouth, in the end, is so much more effective for more rebellious movies like Memento. One of the best films ever made.