A modern-day masterpiece...

Rating: 10/10 (3 February 2009)

Distinguished director Christopher Nolan comes out with his second directorial venture 'Memento', and this one surpasses every movie of its genre. The first fifteen minutes of the movie are completely undecipherable to the viewer, as it takes time for the audience to figure out the unique style of multiple narratives and reverse story-telling used by the director. After that, though, the movie grips your senses and takes you on a suspense-filled ride, and the suspense does not end until the credits start rolling down. The climax of the movie takes you off-guard and you keep on thinking about the movie for days. You have to watch it at least twice to understand each and every scene and dialogue. The movie has a great concept, and an excitingly taut storyline. Guy Pearce acts marvelously well, especially in scenes when he forgets his whereabouts and the identities of people he meets. Carrie-Anne Moss does full justice to her character, though her dialogue delivery is somewhat sloppy. Joe Pantoliano acts wonderfully, as usual. This one is my personal favorite in the genre of psychological thriller. The movie is refreshingly innovative, and I'm sure that viewers looking for an intelligent plot and a lightning-fast narrative. would revere this as the best piece of cinema of all time. The gritty direction also allows each and every character develop deeply, engrossing the viewers even more. Nolan is a master film-maker, and steers the movie through the mind of the protagonist, delivering a gripping thriller. He focuses more on the mentality of the characters, rather than the physical elements of the story. It somewhat reminds me of the short story 'The Sphinx without a Secret' by Oscar Wilde. All in all, this one is a must-watch, and your Hollywood viewing is incomplete without watching 'Memento'.