Made a good impression

Rating: 8/10 (24 March 2020)

"Memento" is the first major film directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Guy Pearce and Carrie-Ann Moss, based on the short story by his brother, Jonathan Nolan.
The film is about a man with short term memory loss, who investigates his wife's murder.
Critically acclaimed director Christopher Nolan is a household name in the film industry, responsible for giving us films like "The Dark Knight", "Interstellar", "The Prestige" and "Inception". He is known for telling stories in a non-linear fashion, and revolves around the themes of obsession and memory, and often uses practical effects.
Memento tells a great story of a man obessesed with finding his wife's killer, the mystifying "John G". Nolan takes the audience along with Lenny, or as he likes to be called, Leonard (Pearce). The story is such an original concept, combined with the interfering style of editing, how the story plays out from end to beginning. Sections of the film are in black and white, which plays in a linear fashion, while the colour scenes, are non-linear. Original and very clever. This subjective point of view that we have with the character engages the viewers with the story, finding out mysteries as soon as Leonard finds them, being as equally surprised. The film is riddled with tension. As we see what the outcome of the film is, we still don't know how it will play out, always figuring things out with the character.
The prop work is to praised. The idea of Polaroid pictures used for Leonard to remember places and people by is an excellent way to drive the story. Leonard writes the names down, and little notes to go along with them when he does forget, so he has an idea of who they are. The mysterious scratch on Leonard's face is ambiguous. No one knows where it came from.
Guy Pearce is very good in the film, portraying this fractured character, desperate to find the killer. His performance is underrated and should be praised a lot more.
Overall: 8.3/10