Entertaining, intelligent and thoroughly confusing (in a good way)

Rating: 10/10 (12 July 2002)

Many films created today are made with the intention of satisfying a public who merely wish to be entertained on an entirely superficial basis. CGI and such improvements in technology have opened up a world where the laws of physics simply don't apply. This has lead to what often amount to be, flashy, overly expensive productions, with no real merit. Memento provides the audience the rare treat of giving the grey matter a bit of a work out, and for that I am eternally grateful.
I first saw this movie on a wet, Saturday night, at around 1 in the morning and was totally captivated throughout, indeed living around an hour away from the cinema I had time to utterly engross myself in deciphering its immensely confusing, though not entirely complicated plot, and still couldn't sleep that night in the knowledge that I fully understood it. I have since seen it twice more in cinemas, as well as buying the DVD, and still find myself noticing something new on every viewing. You may call me stupid but I believe this is the mark of a wonderful film.
Christopher Nolan assembles a noir thriller, based on a short story by his brother, that places you almost entirely in the position of the protagonist. Constructed in reverse, we follow the tale of Leonard Shelby, a man who as a result head injury sustained during an assault on his wife, has no short-term memory. He's looking for his wife's killer, whilst compensating for his disability by taking Polaroid's, annotating them, and having important facts about the killers identity tattooed on his body. Along with a plot twist that left me totally blown away, this film left me feeling intrigued, as well as in awe of the originality of the story we are told.
Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano and Carrie-Anne Moss are all superb in their performances, and unlike in many other films where we are presented with actors who very much play individuals, unreliant on the presence of other central characters, these three present us with a unique unit without which this picture would not be possible. Within the mind of Leonard Shelby we are without continuity and it requires those with which we can identify, if only in relation to the passage of time, to allow us to benefit from witnessing the actions Leonard is unable to remember.
Memento though, is not without slight inconsistencies but whether or not they are inconsistencies could be discussed eternally. Despite this Memento has a brilliantly devised plot, is wonderfully crafted as well as acted, and leaves the questions unanswered that should have been. One word of warning, if you are of an irritable disposition, do not consider watching this after you have seen it with somebody who has not, I made this mistake and spent the entire film answering questions.

Ironically perhaps the best way for a film to make money is to combine a story so confusing and yet thoroughly entertaining, the audience is forced to see it numerous times in order to fully understand it. Apparently, from its success this may have been the case, though that is cynic inside me talking.