Incredible Achievement

Rating: 9/10 (29 September 2007)

Memento is a fresh breath compared to most mainstream movies. The main character is an amnesiac investigator searching for the killer of his wife. He utilizes tattoos and notes to follow a trail of evidence, even when he can't remember how he gained the evidence. The plot has enough twists and turns and surprise endings to be part of an amusement park. Just when you think your getting a hold of what is going on, everything swings into another direction. The reverse chronology of the main plot line makes things interesting to say the least.
Guy Pearce does a convincing portrayal of Leonard (the amnesiac), and pretty much all the other actors are fitting in their respective parts. The music is excellent and used very effectively. The individual segments (roughly 5 minutes each) are well executed. There is even some well-placed humor thrown in.
The flaw that prevents me from awarding Memento a 10 is also its main strength: the plot. While the plot is excellently crafted and executed, it is just too convoluted. Maybe thats partly because of the reverse chronology, but it feels really unstable and is hard to follow at times. The complexity adds a lot to the meaning as a whole, but prevents casual viewing.
Nevertheless, this is essential viewing. The material is of the highest quality and the subject is fascinating. So many questions are spawned about the uses and abuses of amnesia, and just memory in general. It is one of those films that your going to think about all the time.