A movie you will never forget!

Rating: 10/10 (5 January 2002)

For all of us movie fans who grow tired of the same old shoot-em-up, blow everything to hell movies, but don't want to settle for boring melodramatic artistic films, the perfect compromise can be found in Memento.
Memento stars Guy Pearce, who was awesome in LA Confidential and is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. It is the story of a man, Lenny, who has lost the ability to make new memories. This unusual medical condition, short-term memory loss, was obtained on the night of Lenny's wife's rape and murder when he attempted to save her from her attackers. The camera follows as Lenny attempts to track down his wife's killer using a very organized system of notes and polaroid photographs, and a few seemingly helpful persons. If Lenny needs to remember something, such as where his hotel is located, or who someone is, he takes a picture and writes notes on the back. This system is quite effective, but does not aid Lenny's ability to distinguish the time events occur, or specific details related to particular people.
The movie opens with Lenny killing a man in what appears to be a revenge killing. Soon we realize that this is the end of the film, and that the movie will work backwards as many movies do. However, this film is quite different. Instead of giving large portions of the story at once, it tells the story as though the viewer is Lenny himself, providing the events as a person with no short term memory would perceive them; very short and choppy. While this is going on, the director also implements the use of black and white film to incorporate the opposite end of the plot. In the end, the two come together to form a conclusion that made me press rewind and watch the movie two more times the same day.
Hands down, this is the best film of the year, in any genre. Regardless of what type of movies you watch, what actors you like, or whatever, you will find yourself loving every second of this movie (if the choppy, fast paced plot doesn't p*** you off first). If you have not watched this film, you are really missing an all together amazing movie accomplishment.
10/10