Some films are best forgotten however this film is way too good to slip from your head.

Rating: Null/10 (26 June 2002)

`Memento' is great, and it's not without reason that it's hovering outside IMDB's Top 10. There's a reason why
The plot might initially seem simple. A man is hunting down the murderer of his wife, seeking out the clues that will lead him to the man. However there's a twist  the man, Leonard (Guy Pearce), - has no short-term memory. He cannot form new memories so, if he is told something, he will forget it minutes later unless he records it as part of his catalogue of information (which is written not just on note paper, but, when important, as tattoos on his body). Thus any acquaintances he has made will seem strangers and he won't know if he can trust them unless he's got some record of them. However how reliable can these notes be?
As intriguing as those notes are, it's the way the script that plays out that really catapults `Memento'. If we, as a viewer, constantly saw Leonard forget people it would become tedious. Therefore writer/director Christopher Nolan took an innovative step to scene order. The main storyline's scene order is chronologically reversed  we see what happens last (time frame wise) as the first scene. The next scene will end where the first scene started. In between each of these main scenes are shorter scenes, filmed in black and white, which are telling a shorter piece of the story  this time in chronological order and taking place before the main narrative. As confusing as this sounds it works very well because it forces the viewer to be alert  they must work out what led Leonard to perform a certain action based on events they will not witness until later. Things are not always as they seem, principally because of Leonard's debilitating condition  twists and turns abound in the storyline but none seem forced, or incredulous, because they make perfect sense for Leonard's later actions.
The acting is spot on. Guy Pearce has certainly shrugged off the image I formed of him from his days on Australian soap operas. Here he has hardened himself  both physically and mentally  to play an intensely focused man, who has only one goal he can remember: make someone pay for his wife's death. There's not much joy in this person but the tightly coiled energy invested by Peace. The two principal supporting characters, familiar to fans of `The Matrix', are also played well. Joe Pantoliano is great as Teddy, a man claiming to be assisting Leonard, because he plays the character with just enough element of sliminess, that you can't anticipate where his true motives are. Carrie-Anne Moss, as another associate of Leonard, shows far more skill than `The Matrix' let her evidence as she gets to show a greater emotional range and depth, all played with a cool, convincing authority.
Nolan deserves a lot of credit, and not just because of the aforementioned smartness of the script. His camera work and lighting is spot on, capturing the brooding nature of Leonard by nearly constantly focusing on Leonard, without more distancing long shots. Judicious editing helps the narrative flow greatly, and allows for repeated viewings to uncover extra elements and layers to the story that were previously over looked. The soundtrack is extremely minimal, and that works to the advantage of the movie because it does not distract the viewer from the story unfolding.
Is the movie flawless? Well I have no real problems with any area of the production. The story is engaging and does stand under repeated viewings. The narrative technique cannot really be dismissed as a gimmick because it works so very well and is an essential element of the story. Having grand performances all round, and with Nolan showing a smart hand with direction, makes `Insomnia' a must-see movie, particularly if you're dulled by the constant pop-corn nature of many Hollywood flicks. Highly recommended  9.3/10.