Memento Review

Rating: 9/10 (12 May 2005)

Memento starts out in a very peculiar way. It starts out with Leonard shaking a Polaroid picture. The more he shakes the picture, the less developed the picture is. This one scene sets the mood for the movie. In the picture we see a bloodied corpse. Who is the corpse? Why is he dead? Why is Leonard holding a picture of the corpse? Why is the picture becoming undeveloped? All these questions come to mind right at the start. Already we are filled with questions. Also, this subtle un-developing of the Polaroid picture leads into the fact that the movie is being played from end to beginning through the different scenes. Each subsequent scene happens before the scene that the view just sees. The very first scene is even played in "rewind" to establish this fact. We see the picture go back into the camera, the blood flow back into the body, the empty cartridge go back into the gun. All these things establish this "back to front" feel of the film.
In the first ten minutes we find out what makes the film Memento really unique. The anti-hero of this film has this "condition" where he can't make new memories. He says he's had an "injury" that has impaired his memory. With this condition, he can't remember anything beyond his accident. He goes on to narrate about his condition and how he's learned to adapt to it. However, while he's narrating we watch him wake up and go through a routine by merely following notes he's left for himself. The filming during this is particularly interesting. It's shot all in black and white giving the viewer a much more vivid feeling of being lost. We're put in this generic motel room with no idea where it's taking place. With everything in black and white it just flows together making nothing stand out. All this increases this feeling of helplessness. We don't know where Leonard is or what is going on.
One of the peculiarities of this film is the ambiguity of the characters. In the first twenty minutes of the movie the viewer is introduced to the three main characters: Leonard, Teddy, and Natalie. However, the viewer does not know who is good or bad. Teddy seems cherry and helpful;, however, Leonard finds out that he is really named John Gammell. Leonard knows that John G. killed his wife. Natalie gives Leonard information on John Gammell and so seems helpful herself. The question is which side are these two characters are on.
One of the interesting techniques this film uses is how it shifts scenes. By showing us the scenes from end to beginning, the film makes the viewer feel as lost as Leonard. Each scene is started with Leonard not knowing where he is. With the film playing backwards, we also do not know where he is or what is going on. An example of this is the scene that starts in the bathroom. Leonard is holding a bottle of alcohol. He turns the bottle over and says, "Hmm I don't feel drunk." This shows exactly how he feels. He stops concentrating on what is going on and completely forgets what he is doing. He then has to figure out what situation he's in. With the scenes just starting and not knowing what has lead up to them, the viewer also has no idea what Leonard is doing a given situation. After the scene is played out, the scene in the timeline previous to that one is played. This way, we find out what the reason behind Leonard's placement in such a situation is.
This film also shows us how much we depend on our memory. Leonard has learned how to function to some extent by repetition and routine. However, he cannot heal. His wife is dead and, as he says, "I can't remember to forget you." Leonard functions only on a minimal level. He cannot pick up new skills and he can't heal old wounds. Everyday he wakes up and his wife's death is fresh in his mind. Also, he can't know who is good and who is bad. Every time he meets someone, it's like meeting them for the first time. This film forces us to acknowledge how much we really do rely on our memory.
The final thought Memento leaves us with is that we all lie to ourselves. In everyday life we lie to ourselves to make us happy. There are things we want to forget, and there are things we want to remember. Leonard forgot everything new because of his condition. However, he also forgot some things he should have remembered from before the incident because he wanted to. If he forgot certain things, he would always have a reason to live. We all strive for a reason to live, and sometimes we lie to ourselves to create that reason.