Memento
"A Masterpiece!" -Mike D'Angelo, Time Out
The revenge thriller gets an unforgettable new twist with Memento, an intricate crime story about a man with a damaged memory chasing a murderer whose identity he cannot possibly ever know for sure. Directed by Christopher Nolan, Memento has blown the minds of audiences around the world - by deftly forging a reality in which neither the lead character nor the audience knows who is pulling the strings... until everything that seemed true flips upside down.
Leonard (Guy Pearce) suffers from a rare brain disorder - the inability to form any new memories. He can remember in detail everything that happened before his injury, but anyone he has met or anything he has done since that fateful night, simply vanishes.
Who are his friends? Who are his enemies? What is the truth? In Leonard's world, the answers to these questions shift and change from second to second. And the more he tries to figure out what is true and real, the deeper he sinks into a multi-layered abyss of uncertainty and surprises.
Member Reviews
Below expectation - imran1978
There is an Indian film that came out a few years ago called "Ghajini", which a truly enjoyed. Later on, I came across some articles that stated that it was a copy (like so many other Indian films) of Memento, so I put this on my ziplist to watch. It is true that basic ideas have been copied, the films are worlds apart. I for one prefer the Indian one over this one (I'll get slack for this), but for some reason this one never really caught me while Ghajini had caught me from the start and never let me go. Good film, but certainly below what I expected.Great concept - toopopcultured
Totally engrossing and very creative, here is a whodunit that actually keeps you in step with the main character because of the way it's filmed. Leonard is a man with a mission, but can't remember what it is, and by having the plot play out backwards in time the viewer is left just as curious. Wonderful way of keeping the viewer engrossed and rewarded continuously throughout the film as more and more of the overall story becomes clear. Definately must have a second viewing to tidy up some questions and look further into the schemes of the other characters.
Not a disappointment at all!Certainly A Unique And Interesting Premise - revsdd
It's a unique concept. Leonard is a man with no short-term memory after being attacked when trying to save his wife from a rape-murder. The rest of his life is spent in a quest for a revenge that he can't remember if he's been able to achieve because he has no short-term memory. That's an interesting premise, the added piece here being that the story is presented in reverse chronology - beginning with Leonard killing the man he believes to be his wife's killer and then retracing the story, continually going back just a bit at a time to fill in the details of his search, and how he came to the conclusion that Teddy was responsible. Essentially the viewer is pulled into Leonard's condition - seeing what's happening with no clue as to why because we haven't seen what came before. Edited into the regression scenes are black and white scenes in which Leonard, holed up in his hotel room, talks about his condition and seems to fill in some essential details about his past.
It's an interesting way to present a "whodunit" - because the question all the way through is whether Teddy is actually the killer. The ending offers a twist - it isn't the biggest surprise you'll ever see, if only because the way the movie is put together you're conditioned from the start to expect any twist possible, and it leaves open some uncertainty about who actually killed Lenny's wife. So, the premise and construction of the story is interesting enough. Also interesting, though, is that - while intriguing - I didn't find it particularly enjoyable to watch, perhaps because I didn't buy Leonard's condition - for one reason. He used photos to jog his memory, so he took pictures of important people and places to refer to when necessary. What's wrong with that? Well - nothing, except that he never - even once - was unsure about where the photos were. A small point, perhaps - but still? The movie's well-acted and interesting, but it does fizzle a bit on that one small point.
Member Reviews
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Below expectation - imran1978
There is an Indian film that came out a few years ago called "Ghajini", which a truly enjoyed. Later on, I came across some articles that stated that it was a copy (like so many other Indian films) of Memento, so I put this on my ziplist to watch. It is ...Great concept - toopopcultured
Totally engrossing and very creative, here is a whodunit that actually keeps you in step with the main character because of the way it's filmed. Leonard is a man with a mission, but can't remember what it is, and by having the plot play out backwards in time ...Certainly A Unique And Interesting Premise - revsdd
It's a unique concept. Leonard is a man with no short-term memory after being attacked when trying to save his wife from a rape-murder. The rest of his life is spent in a quest for a revenge that he can't remember if he's been able to achieve because he has ...