Films like Memento are pretty few and far between – uniquely mind bending and absorbing with the quirkiest of approaches – truly challenging and awkward to understand – quite the most mesmerising film I’ve seen in months.
It features Guy Pearce in a million miles away from his first big part as the teenager Mike in Neighbours. He’s grown into a pretty respectable actor these days and even though he’s sporting the most bizarrely dyed hair you’ve ever seen in Memento, he’s every bit as good here as he’s ever been.
It’s an intriguing premise behind the film, and one which will only truly make sense when you see it. Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, a guy who is suffering from a condition known as short term memory loss, unlike amnesia in that he knows who he is and does have memories of his past life. Unfortunately he lived through the trauma of seeing his wife die in terrible circumstances and the incident had a profound impact on him such that he can no longer remember anything since the
event, even things that happened only minutes previously.
Shelby’s life is now a series of 5-10 minute chunks which are totally disconnected from each other, and the only way that he is able to hold things together or make sense of it all, is by leaving himself short notes on the back of snapshots which enable him to work out what he’s doing.
The film kicks off with Shelby killing someone in cold blood, and you’re left wondering what the hell is going on. It then proceeds in five minute chunks which work themselves steadily back through his story in bizarre fashion. The second chunk ends at the point the first chunk starts if that makes sense. It’s bizarre and plain weird at times and you have to keep your wits firmly about you to stay in touch with what’s going on. It’s addictive and totally compelling, but extremely hard work and you’ll fund yourself with a stinking headache long before the conclusion.
As the multilayered and disjointed chunks unfold, you start to piece together the extraordinary tale. Shelby is trying to find his wife’s murderer and is going to some fairly extraordinary lengths to do so. He’s tattooed all over with clues and hints and instructions to himself, and he can do nothing else but blindly accept the messages unquestioningly.
It’s easy to get confused with the depth and complexity of this film and I guess it’s only with a second or third run through that you’ll really get to grips with what’s actually going on and be able to piece together the whole thing. I have to admit that I was all over the place at first and found myself totally bemused by events.
Memento was made in 2001 and directed by Christopher Nolan. Alongside Pearce it features Joe Pantoliano and Carrie-Anne Moss, who we are never sure are allies or enemies of Shelby, as the bizarre plot wends this way and that in a meandering ad hoc manner that is both infuriating and totally natural. At times, Shelby is not certain whether he’s chasing a guy or being chased by him – now work that one out if you can, or don’t…
In an odd way, this amazing film resembles the way that David Bowie used to compose songs back in the 1970’s, writing out the story then cutting them up into sections and piecing things together in seemingly haphazard and meaningless ways – the very substance and meaning came out of the juxtaposition and jarring discontinuity – and so it is here with the visual equivalent of the technique used to bizarre fashion, leaving you shocked and unsure of what’s going on.
Enjoyable is a word that doesn’t really apply to work like this and the lack of any attempt to make things easy to assimilate is really quite refreshing. For Pearce, the memory of the romance between Jason and Kylie must feel like a lifetime away – things were so much more straightforward on Ramsey Street living next to Harold and Madge.
Other similarities to the glam rock era world of the early 70’s abound and the environment that Pearce inhabits is like some sleazy excerpt from a Lou Reed song, either Walk On The Wild Side or Sister Ray, all drugs, dark bars and easy sex with dirty undertones. None of it makes any sense and it’s all thrown together haphazardly, but somehow makes total and absolute sense at the same time – totally engrossing, addictive and memorable – STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
Note to self: Go back to the beginning and try and work out what the hell you’re writing about, dave27…
Hmmm… what was I saying? Have I told you I have a strange condition?
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: K.C. Bascombe - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jesse James, Rachel Skarsten, Charles Powell, Linda Purl, Kevin Zegars
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Exceptional review on an excellent and highly original film..........................
princesssoapy 12.06.2002 21:53
Excellent op on an equally excellent film thanks amanda
Calypte 12.06.2002 16:13
I love this film - I don't think it's without flaw, but it's just so original, as you've said. I finally got the DVD, but I haven't got round to watching it 'the right way round' yet!
An absolute stunner of a movie,Mementocombines a bold, mind-bending script with compelling ... more
action and virtuoso performances. Guy Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, hunting down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The problem is that "the incident" that ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
An absolute stunner of a movie,Mementocombines a bold, mind-bending script with compelling ... more
action and virtuoso performances. Guy Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, hunting down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The problem is that "the incident" that ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
From director Christopher Nolan a unique and intriguing thriller that begins with the ... more
ultimate act of revenge and backtracks through time to reveal the shocking and provocative reasons behind it. Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) remembers everything up t...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) remembers everything up to the night his wife was brutally ... more
raped and murdered. But since that tragedy, he has suffered from short-term memory loss and cannot recall any event, the places he has visited or anyone he has met j...
Advantages: Original, intriguing and innovative film with superb performances from a talented trio of thespians. Disadvantages: If you like no-brainers this could cause melt down.
Mercury 16.05.2001 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Memento (DVD)
Advantages: Makes you use your brain! Original, inventive way to make a movie! Disadvantages: ABUNDANT use of "f-word"; some graphic violence, unsatisfying "ending" (or "beginning?)
Analysis 17.10.2004 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Memento (DVD)
![Memento [2000] [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78536510.jpg "Memento [2000] [DVD]")
Jun 11th, 2002
very helpful by (100%):
