Memento Much Better Than Anticipated

Rating: 8/10 (8 June 2009)

Memento was a much better film than anticipated from acclaimed writer/director Christopher Nolan the man behind films like The Prestige, Insomnia, Batman Begins, and last years blockbuster hit The Dark Knight which was my favorite movie of 2008. In Memento Nolan really establishes himself as an extremely talented filmmaker. Memento has an intricate but not too complicated story and the way the movie plays out with the ending in the beginning and the beginning at the end makes it feel different (in a good way) and original. Its one of those films to watch a couple times to fully understand what it was all about and so that you can pick up on little things you didn't notice the first time around. The surprises in store for anyone who hasn't seen it I wasn't quite expecting myself which made the film very enjoyable to watch at least to me. The three leads in the movie are admirable in their roles including Guy Pearce as Leonard a man with a rare brain disorder after an accident who can't form new memories. Pearce's Leonard is after the one who raped and killed his wife a man's identity he can never know for sure. Pearce is believable in the role and does a great job as the main character. Carrie Anne-Moss does a decent job as Natalie an ally to Leonard who helps in his quest to find his wife's killer but may not be who she appears. Moss is quite good at playing a character you're not sure is trying to help Leonard or just using him. The same can go for Joe Pantoliano whose equally impressive as Teddy a man Leonard isn't sure whether he can fully trust. The rest of the relatively unknown cast also turn in solid performances. The ending is fitting which reveals some secrets while keeping other questions unanswered but that doesn't hurt the movie. Overall Memento was much better than expected because of it's interesting revenge story, complex characters played by talented actors, and surprising plot twists that make for an above average entertaining thriller to watch.