Film noir perfection

Rating: Null/10 (31 May 2002)

For this film I can forgive Guy Pierce his Neighbours-based sins, as he delivers the character of Lenny with touching compassion. Do not be deceived - this is the best film of all time - although born as a concept movie the direction takes it far beyond that.
Lenny suffers from extreme short-term memory loss bought on when his wife was raped and murdered (although cynics may say it was bought on by the demands of the script), and is eager to seek revenge. The film exists in two parts: the colour sequences happening in reverse chronology and the monochrome in forward. Eventually the two sequences meet at the scene of a bloody murder. The murder of Lenny's best friend Teddy then becomes brutally apparent...
This film intends to confuse, and therefore deserves multiple viewings. Although contrived, the memory-loss-thing works flawlessly (think Fight Club). It is interesting to view Teddy with contempt at the beginning of the film, and develop an increasing sympathy for him as time goes on (or back) - eventually seeing him as an innocent victim of circumstance. At the end of the film you must ask: who was manipulating whom?