MEMENTO (2000)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Crime / Drama

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Guy Pearce / Carrie-Ann Moss / Joe Pantoliano

Plot

Leonard Shelby is unable to form new memories, the result of brain damage incurred while trying to save his wife from the hands of a killer.  Despite his condition, Leonard pursues the criminal, unsure of who to trust and what to believe.

What I Liked

“Memento” is easily one of my favorite films of the 2000s, a grim tale that is all about turning the most basic assumptions about storytelling and filmmaking upside down.  It is a film all about the power of perspective and self-deceit to affect reality.  Essentially, the story is told backward, opening with a killing that would normally serve as the conclusion to any other revenge film.  For “Memento,” though, the solution is the beginning of the mystery, not its conclusion.  Each subsequent scene takes place prior to the last chronologically and, as the film progresses, our suspicion that something is not right with appeared to be Leonard Shelby’s triumph deepens.  As soon as we figure out that something’s off, the fun becomes trying to break apart the puzzle that has already assembled.  By using this inverted and subjective approach in what is ultimately a mystery story, screenwriter and director Christopher Nolan puts the viewer in Leonard’s shoes.  As each scene begins, we are constantly wondering how Leonard got himself there and what the new facts we’ve learned tell us about the truth behind that opening killing.  The next scene then gives us the answer as to how Leonard physically got there, but only leaves us as to more questions as to the truth behind Leonard’s quest.

“Memento” is also steeped in film traditions.  On the surface it is a revenge story in crime thriller packaging.  However, it is also a clear homage to the film noir movies of the 1940s, complete with subjective filmmaking, black-and-white photography, seedy supporting characters, voice-over narration by the protagonist, and femme fatale.  Some of the fun of watching the movie is seeing these time-worn elements filtered through a fresh twenty-first century filter.  Kudos Nolan and his cast for reinterpreting film noir, rather than simply imitating it to the point of unintended parody, like so many other of today’s crime films do.

What I Didn’t Like

Despite so much of what is unique about “Memento,” the basic elements of the film are all-too predictable.  Since it is a crime thriller, it should be no surprise that the movie ends with a twist.  It doesn’t take but a few minutes of watching to realize that ultimately we are going to be thrown some kind of mind-blowing revelation at the film’s conclusion.  The rest of the film is spent trying to figure it out before the filmmakers reveal it, like we do with so many other such movies.  I’m not a big fan of twists in movies.  They’re ultimately just gimmicks mistaken by too many people for good writing.  In the case of “Memento,” the film didn’t really need any more gimmicks, as the movie ultimately could be written off as one giant gimmick.  Once the story is revealed as w hole, we realize that, had the movie been told in the conventional manner, the story would be boring as hell.  Therefore, it’s the gimmick of revealing everything to us through backward storytelling that is actually the crux of the film’s entertainment value.  Yes, there’s a lot more to be read into what the film and its story structure has to say about people and the lives we lead.  But when it comes down to it, “Memento” is a triumph of style over story.

Most Memorable Scene

I’ve seen this movie several times.  I own it.  But this time, I picked up on a line uttered by Leonard early on which stuck out to me.  “Just because there are things I don’t remember doesn’t make my actions meaningless.”  Knowing everything that the story ultimately reveals to us, I realized that this is really the whole crux of Leonard’s existence, a mantra which he will repeat at various points throughout the film, just in different words (“I have to believe that my actions have meaning, even if I can’t remember them.”).  This becomes the theme of the whole film, calling into question the value we place on memory, or even actions for that matter. 

For more emotional resonance, the flashback scenes outlining the struggle and fate of a character from Leonard’s past named Sammy Jankis probably have the most lasting impact.

My Rating: 4 out of 5