Another movie that comes to mind when discussing Memento is the Dana Carvey comedy Clean Slate . The two films have pretty much the same premise, but, while Clean Slate does little with it, Memento draws every ounce of potential from this rich well. Lead actor Guy Pearce gives an astounding performance as a man struggling to avoid being manipulated in a world where he can easily become anyone's pawn. It's a tight, thoroughly convincing performance. But the real star here is Nolan, and the way he has edited this masterful thriller into its final format.
Every festival has a defining film.
For Sundance 2001, Memento was that movie. For those who love films and don't mind endings that don't wrap everything into a tidy package, Memento is not to be missed, even if you have to make a long trip to reach a theater showing it. When it comes to making a Top 10 list for 2001, one title I won't forget is Memento .