"Chris N. will trick your mind" ... a review a la 'Memento' ...

Rating: 10/10 (3 May 2011)

"Memento" is not your typical whodunit film, it's more a howcatchem, where we don't know who to catch, except maybe the first victim, Joe Pantaliano, a friendly mustached man, accused of being the author of a horrific rape and murder. He doesn't even have time to defend himself, Lenny, played by Guy Pearce, kills him ruthlessly, until we see the stains of bloods and drops going in reverse, and understand the direction the film will take, for our delighted surprise.
'Remember Sammy Jenkins': Lenny's motto, the only thing he conditioned himself to remember. It's the story of a man suffering from his same short-term memory, until it ultimately killed his wife. This probably is the element that justified the use of the backwards narration because it shows the deadly nature of Lenny's memory problem, Lenny who just killed a man thought to be his wife's murderer. Two parallel stories, one bloody murder, one revenge story, a short-term memory, a story in reverse, a claustrophobic setting, there's something quite uneasy in this cinematic journey. And the dizziness is the same as when you sit in the opposite seats of the train's direction, but you will arrive at destination. And that the identity of the murderer will be revealed, or no, that the revelation will be shocking. Because Memento is not your typical whodunit film
Basically, the reverse thing's point is to teach us, not to believe in the appearances. Lenny's condition needs proofs, things written, everywhere, tattooed in his body, pictures with names on it, and devices written as to warn himself from the danger of being teased. The guy killed in the beginning, named Teddy, surprisingly seems to be Lenny buddy and helper, but he's tagged as suspicious in his photography. Every hint has to be material, but the more we get in Lenny's conditions, the more we realize that these precautions act like a double-edged sword. So the movie basically, prepares us to a biggest surprise about the identity of the murderer, who's probably not that Teddy. How could we be so sure? Simply, because the movie is a mystery, and the resolution can only come at the end. Besides, such a powerful film can't afford an ordinary ending. And this is where the 'Sammy Jenkins' situation interferes with our understanding of the film. 'Remember Sammy Jenkins': Lenny's motto, the only thing he conditioned himself to remember
Among the great memorable scenes, there's one where you wonder why Lenny's being mocked by a drunkard while tasting a beer given by the waitress that would help him in his investigation, until the previous scene that happened before in the story, you see that she spitted on it, to test him. Then, she was convinced, and so were we. That was a comic relief scene, but how about the one where she comes with her face beaten, asking for his help, until we realize in the previous-next scene that he was the one teased to hit her in the face. But the palm of the funniest (yes, I know it's a drama, but this one was priceless) is the priceless "I'm chasing this gun?" "No, he's chasing me". These ten seconds are enough justifications to the backwards narration. And since the movie starts with the killing, basically, the reverse thing's point is to teach us, not to believe in the appearances
Lenny's short-term memory problem: the kind of plot device that could taste like caviar when handled by a good screenwriter and like tomato juice by another. Basically, if he just finished reading this part of the review, he can't remember how it started; imagine how painful it would be. I don't know, if this handicap convinced Chris Nolan to make the story backwards of it's the idea of making a story backwards that reminded him of memory problems, but it would be like discussing of what was first: the egg or the chicken  The idea was perfect, and the way, we follow Lenny in his backwards quest to find the murdered of his wife is a gold mine for memorable situations. Among the great memorable scenes, there's one where you wonder why Lenny's being mocked by a drunkard while tasting a beer given by the waitress
Simply, a brilliant story. Did you notice I used a specific word: story? There is the script, and the story, too. The story had to justify this architecture. By the way, I'm using the word architecture for the second time, because I know Nolan is like an architect of screen writing, using plot devices as so many bricks to build unforgettable movies, I didn't think it worked that well for "Inception" because it lacked something called 'heart', it works with "Memento" because the story has one, and its heart pumped by a true desire of revenge. Lenny, played by a superb Guy Pearce, has one quest, finding John G., the one who raped and murdered his wife. His motives are understandable, and the story would have been a normal linear chase if it wasn't for one handicap: Lenny's short-term memory problem, the kind of plot device that could taste like caviar when handled by a good screenwriter
"Memento" is a cinematic experience that tricks your mind from beginning to end, or should I say, from the ending to the beginning, or wait a minute, again, I'm lost  Now, where was I? Oh yeah, you know that they say about a good script? It must have a beginning, middle, and an ending  but not necessarily in that order. I guess "Memento" respects the idea of what makes a good story, but the genius of the script, and the brilliance of its creativity rely on the incredible architecture that started the film at the end, to go on backwards, until an unforgettable climactic conclusion, that occurred at the beginning of the story. Simply, a brilliant story