Ingenious game with time, trust and expectations

Rating: 9/10 (18 March 2001)

Memento makes me regret not having seen Following (his previous film) - yet.
Memento is a very clever thriller about a man without a short term memory, who tries to find and kill the killer of his wife. It's also a film about trust. What should you trust; your subjective memory, or the proof of evidence you photographed and put down on paper? Since, the main actor doesn't have a short term memory, the last thing is what he relies on.

The film is shown backwards. Not that people walk balkwards, but they start with the last scene, play it, move back to the second last scene, and this way go back to the beginning.
Starting at the end, is starting at the moment that his wife's killer is killed. But how did he find out that this was the killer. Especially without a short term memory which makes him forget everything that happened since his wife's death. And how did he get his injury. And who are all the people he meets on the way? You will find out (will you) at the end (or is it the beginning?) of the movie. You hope at least.
The best part of the movie is the first half, where you just watch with amazement that the movie really works! And that the puzzle that is shown in the beginning is at the same time unravelled, but also getting more complex.

The second half of the movie, just discover that things are not as simple as they seem. And you ask yourself: do I still get it or not. I won't tell you the end, but it left me and others in complete confusement. And outside, unlocking our bikes, I could see many people with a puzzled look on their face wondering what really happened? I guess you do have to see it twice (like many of the reviews said) to find out if the puzzle fits, and if it does, how it fits.
Very worthwhile seeing!