Outstanding, gripping, compelling, thought-provoking

Rating: 10/10 (6 November 2004)

This is a fascinating film that really lives up to the hype. It raises all sorts of questions about personal identity, memory, guilt, truth, and time: for example, if you commit a murder but do not remember committing it, are you still guilty? What does it mean to be 'the same person' that you were last week, or last year? Memento implicitly raises these questions, in a subtle way, without being heavy-handed in the way that the Matrix is, for example. The real genius of this film is that, while it raises all these issues and is genuinely thought-provoking, it manages at the same time to be a truly entertaining, tense, and compelling thriller.
The story revolves around Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) who, after a blow to the head, suffers from a neurological condition which means he cannot form new memories. He can only remember things for a few seconds, and then they fade away. This means he has to write himself notes, take Polaroids, and even tattoo himself to try and form some kind of continuity in his life. He has no idea who to trust, where he lives, or even where he was five minutes ago. All of this complicates Leonard's quest in life, which is to find the man who raped and murdered his wife, (and caused his own condition) and take his revenge.
This is a genuine neurological disorder which I had read about in a piece by Dr Oliver Sacks called 'The Lost Mariner', and I was fascinated when i heard there was a film dealing with the subject. I didn't think it would be possible to really depict this condition in a film, so I was amazed by the skill of the director, Christopher Nolan, who really makes you appreciate the tragic and horrific quality of this condition.
It is a stroke of genius on Nolan's part that the film itself runs backwards. Or rather, while each moment of the film runs forwards, we see Leonard's life in a series of small chunks lasting a few minutes, which we see in reversed chronological order. This is an incredible use of film to make you understand the sort of endlessly unknown, frightening world that Leonard lives in. It means the viewer has to make that little bit more effort to understand what is going on, it demands a bit of intelligence and attention.
Unlike most Hollywood films, it's not a simple progression from mystery, to disorder, to the solution. It's more complex than that. When someone comes in and speaks to Leonard, we are in a position like his - we don't know if he has met them before, if they are friend or foe, whether or not they are telling him the truth.
The pace, direction, script, and acting are all outstanding. All three of the leads (Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Joe Pantoliano) give excellent, gripping performances. I was impressed that the female lead, Natalie (Moss) is not just used as eye-candy or objectified, but is a fully developed and intriguing character (all too rare in Hollywood films). The cinematography is gorgeous, with great use of colour and light to create atmosphere. The music too adds to the tense and gripping nature of this film.
In short, this is one of the best films that I've ever seen, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys films that are a bit different.