This IS one of the greats.

Rating: 10/10 (7 July 2003)

Now I am not the type of person who writes a glowing review about any old movie, because usually those that I like get enough acclaim and more that I don't get too much acclaim. This is my exception to the rule. This movie is about as good as film gets. This is not your everyday run of the mill, same old, same old JLo film or something, this is an original, thoughtful, intelligent film. Those that have read or heard that it is "backward" or "confusing" pay attention while I explain the unexplainable: when the movie is in color, the plot is from the back and is progressing to the middle, thus the first five minutes of the film occur at the end of the sequence of events. Then the next five minutes are in black and white and are the beginning of the story arc (there are additional flashbacks of Leonard's memories, but those are fairly easy to follow). Then it goes back to the next color scene which is the one chronologically in front of the opening scene, then another black and white which is the next scene from the beginning. The film actually comes together with the final black and white scene becoming color and then there is the conclusion, but both parts are actually the middle: so scene 23, then 1, then 22, then 2, and so on.
Now to the actual merits of the film: Guy Pearce carried "LA Confidential" on his shoulders (with the help of some fine actors) and has amazingly gotten bigger shoulders because this is his film. Throughout the whole movie Pearce is front and center, the focal point. Everything revolves around him and he gives a great performance, without overacting once. The rest of the cast do a passable job.
Aside from Pearce's performance and the "gimmick", there is still an amazing script, cinematography, and director which I am going to lump together and label as "The Nolan factor." Nolan's other recent effort "Insomnia" has received lukewarm reviews, but I like his work. It is not style for the sake of style or to cover-up plot holes, it is style with substance and that is something few film-makers can achieve.
To tell you how engrossed I was with this film when I first saw it on cable (and I was sure I would hate it), I literally received a phone call about 30 minutes into the film that was from my mother and I was so into the film I realized she had been talking to me for a couple of minutes and was asking what was wrong, and all I could say was "Can I call you back in like an hour, I am watching this movie?" and as soon as she said "Yes." I hung up the phone, having not one time taken my eyes off of the television.
If you are up for it, it is an experience, but make sure you have a little over an hour and a half set aside and are ready to think... and you may think about unplugging the phone, so you can avoid a lecture about phone etiquette. This film is one of my 10 favorite films and deserves a 10 out of 10.