Terrific acting, story, and editing make Memento a terrific movie.

Rating: 10/10 (20 August 2001)

Memento is one of those rare treats of a film that only comes along once in a blue moon (Include Fargo, Pulp Fiction, and The Usual Suspects). It's not only a stunningly tragic thriller, it has an amazing emotional core that provides balance for the film. Consider the way Leonard talks about his wife at the restaurant, then when he is unable to sleep.
Director Christopher Nolan's brother Jonah actually wrote Memento as a short story, Christopher then adapted it, and he did a fantastic job. Memento has a great screenplay. Nolan gets us involved in what's going on as far as plot (or, actually, what has already gone on in the plot. Whatever.) and he inter-cuts the black and white sequences with perfect placements. They serve as a bridge for what's coming up next, or before. But then, he also knows that there needs to be some sort of bond between the audience and Leonard, so he gives us these short little snippets of Leonard's personal life, his sadness, his lonliness.
In terms of theme, I think the film has many. (WARNING: SPOILERS!!!) The movie deals, of course with revenge. To me that was the focus. How revenge will eventually leave you unsatisfied and unfulfilled. Then, there is the observation that sometimes we force ourselves into believing something just because we want to feel like we are important. We want to have purpose. And when faced with the truth, Leonard lies to himself to feel that importance. Then there are the smaller more subtle thoughts about loss, and sadness, which I found very moving.
Every single actor in this movie was perfect. Guy Pearce is just wonderful at film-noir. Look at his breakthrough in L.A. Confidential, and his very entertaining and highly fascinating movie, Ravenous, about cannibalism and carnage. He's just a very fine actor. And the characters of Carrie Ann Moss and Joe Pantoliano (who is just hysterical) give the movie an even more mysterious feeling. The way we see their pictures and we see what's written on them and immediately wonder, "When was that written? I want to see Leonard write that. I can't wait to understand how all of this fits together."
This is not a movie you just watch once and then forget about. I've seen it three times, and I own the screenplay, and I'm still not sure I have it all figured out. I can assure you, you will be thinking about this movie long after it ends, trying to figure things out, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I think that just makes the film even better.