Mind-Bendingly Awesome

Rating: Null/10 (25 November 2006)

Of course, if you look at the rating of the movie on this site, you'll notice an 8.6. Well, this movie surely deserves that rating. This film is a confusing, mind-bending mess.
And I love it.
It starts off with the killing of Teddy, played by scene-stealer Joe Pantoliano. The killer is Leonard Shelby (with a stellar performance by Guy Pearce). The entire scene is played backwards, which echoes the rest of the film's structure.
I'll talk mainly about the performances, and I'll start with Pearce.
Not only does his performance hold up through multiple viewings, but it gets better with each viewing. I'm surprised he didn't get an Oscar nod.
Joe Pantoliano stole every scene he appeared in, no matter if he had dialog or not. He provides some much needed comic relief and lots of humanity.
Carrie-Ann Moss starts off the film as a very sympathetic character, but by the middle, you hate her guts. And rightfully so. Her acting (like Pearces, or Pant's for that matter) holds up through multiple viewings. Even though you saw the same thing the first time around, the second time you see her in the movie, it is completely different.
The technical aspects shine as well. The screenplay is thorough and polished, with some pretty realistic dialog. The score by David Julyan is haunting and perfect for the movie. The warped editing by Dody Dorn is seamless and paced. And, of course, the direction by Christopher Nolan is wonderful.
Overall, an awesome and mind-bending thriller.