Leonard is suffering from short-term memory loss after an attack that led to the raping and killing of his wife. Now he lives life from day to day, relying on photographs, hand-written notes and tatoos to remind him of facts that he needs to know. One thing he can't forget, however, is that his wife died, and that he is determined to find her murderer, short-term memory loss or not. There are two people in his life who could help him - one, a man called Teddy, the other, a woman called Natalie - the only problem is that Leonard can never remember who they are from one day to the next and doesn't even know whether they genuinely want to help him or not. Will he ever find out the truth? Or will his predicament lead to madness?
One of the first things to note about this film is the way that the story is told. Based on a short story by director Christopher Nolan's brother, Jonathan Nolan, it is expressed in two ways: Firstly in colour, in which the story of Leonard is told backwards in clips of five to ten minutes (approximately), showing how he goes about his investigation. Interspersed with clips of the investigation, are scenes in black and white, during which Leonard is shown on the phone with someone, discussing his situation, occasionally with flash-backs to a case that Leonard was working on as a fraud investigator before the attack. This probably sounds complicated; that is because it is complicated. I personally found myself bewildered to begin with, but it is worth sticking with, because
it does all slowly begin to come together - to a certain extent at least.
However, this is probably not a film for those who like neat and tidy endings. It is a film that makes people think. Unfortunately, I also think that this is one of its downfalls - it tries to be just that bit too clever and in doing so, probably loses a good chunk of its potential audience. I like the occasional thought-provoking film, but this one is so thought-provoking that it left me feeling very confused the first time I saw it - so confused that I had to watch the film again before I could even consider writing a review. In short; this is not a film that you can escape in - it takes a great deal of patience and concentration to follow it at all. The best tip that I can give is to not worry too much about time and how it all pans out in the film - just accept that the timing is all over the place because that is how Leonard, with his short-term memory loss, sees time.
I've long been a fan of Guy Pearce as an actor, after I saw him in Priscilla Queen of the Desert and realised that he could actually act. In Memento, he plays Leonard, and, whatever I think about the rest of the film, there is no denying that he is really excellent in this role. Leonard is obviously highly confused, barely able to survive in a world that continues to go on around him, something that an untalented actor would have really struggled with. Pearce, however, makes hit completely convincing - actually scarily so. I've always thought of him as being an attractive man before - here, he looks gaunt and ill, something that isn't helped by the dyed blonde hair. Still, it is his acting that I will remember from this film, which is the important thing.
Pearce's co-stars are less well-known to me, although both of them are recognisable, probably because both of them were in The Matrix. Carrie-Anne Moss plays Natalie, a woman who initially seems pleasant and helpful, but as we delve back into Leonard's life, we find that she may not be what she initially seems to be. Moss did a good job of keeping the mystery going - it is never quite clear what she is up to. The same goes for Joe Pantoliano, who plays Teddy - it really is hard to work him out, because he seems like a complete creep, yet seems to genuinely care for Leonard. Pantoliano is one of those actors who always seems to get secondary roles; unfortunately, it is probably more to do with his 'ordinary' looks than any lack of talent. Certainly, I thought he was good here. Fans of Jorja Fox from CSI will be pleased to get flashes of her as she appears as Leonard's wife.
I think director Christopher Nolan has generally done a good job with the film. There is a slight pretentiousness about it that seems to suggest that it is targetted for an educated audience, but, that aside, I think he has dealt with the topic of mental health very well. The way that the film jumps around from scene to scene helps the viewer to realise how difficult and confusing Leonard's life must be. Every time we think that something is set in stone, the story skips backwards and we realise that nothing is as we thought - how much more confusing must it have been for Leonard? This really helps us to get under his skin and understand what is going. And of course, Guy Pearce's portrayal of Leonard strengthens this even further.
This is very much a character-driven film. There is little going on outside of the actors to attract any attention. The scenery is dull and dusty, set in grubby hostels and abadoned yards. There is very little in the way of colour, even the clothes that the characters wear are dull blacks, beiges and blues. And there is very little background music at all; just occasional fleeting string instruments. This all serves the purpose of helping the viewer concentrate on what is going on on-screen, and listen to Leonard's narrative. There is a David Bowie song played during the credits though that fans (like me) will appreciate.
There are a number of special effects with the DVD. I have to say that the menu for the special features is incredibly annoying and difficult to access, because the different features are flashed up for a short amount of time on screen and you need to be diligent about pressing the button, otherwise you miss the feature you want and end up with the next one. They are generally not worth bothering with anyway. There is an interview with Christopher Nolan, which discusses the film in some depth and is very interesting to watch, but that is as good as it gets. Other than that, there are written biographies of the main cast members and director, a trailer, some pictures of tattoos and a shot of the original screenplay.
I'm actually hard-pressed to say whether I enjoyed this film or not. It is actually very depressing and, although thought-provoking, it is quite hard work to follow. Then again, the acting is top-notch and the story is compelling. I think that if you like psychological thrillers that really keep you thinking, you should probably watch this film. However, don't expect to be able to watch it with friends and a few drinks and still follow it, because you probably won't. If thrillers and/or thought-provoking films aren't your thing, stay well clear. Recommended.
The DVD is available from play.com for £3.99, but I picked my copy up in HMV for £3.
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
Probably not for me - I'd only end up badgering the person who was watching it with me with a barrage of questions. xx
RICHADA 16.04.2009 00:05
This is one that I'd actually wanted to see - you have actually put me off herewith this review - I don't "do" depressing if I can help it - prefer more uplifting entertainment! Richard.
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 ...
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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 ·
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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 ·
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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]")
Apr 13th, 2009
exceptional by (2%):
very helpful by (98%):
