Movie Review: Memento

Memento's been around for 5 years now. I saw it for the first time 2 years ago and I was blown away by it. I watched it all the way through for the second time tonight, and I'd forgotten how great this movie was. The fact that I already knew the outcome didn't make it any less interesting to watch. Memento is one of those rare movies that had my full and undivided attention the first time I watched it. It's necessary; the movie requires focus and constant processing of the story elements.

Beware the painted man!

Memento is unique in that it's told backwards. The movie starts out with The Big Event, then plays out scenes in reverse chronological order to show us how things got to that point. Think of it like reading a book by starting with the last chapter, then reading the prior chapter and so on. The main character Leonard (played wonderfully by Guy Pearce) is a man obsessed with finding his wife's murderer. The catch is that he is suffering from something called arterial grade memory loss. This is a condition in which the victim remembers everything up to the incident which caused the memory loss, but cannot create new memories. "If we talk for too long, I'll forget how we started" says Leonard.

It is in this condition that he must collect and gather clues to track down the man who destroyed his life. He takes Polaroids of significant things and writes notes on them ("You learn to trust your own handwriting - that's important" he says.) Really important facts get tattooed onto his body (this film reminded me of Planescape Torment.) He is repeatedly reminded that even if he gets his revenge he won't remember it, so what's the difference? His wife deserves justice regardless of who knows about it. "The world doesn't disappear just because you close your eyes." The character's constant state of confusion along with the backwards telling of the story makes Memento a handful to keep up with, but it's well worth the effort. The movie also keeps a running dialogue interspersed thoughout in which Leonard tells someone about Sammy Jankis, a man with the same memory condition as he. Sammy's story is both interesting and relevent.

(Fucked)

As I watch a new movie, I keep a list of unanswered questions in my head, checking them off one by one as they're resolved to my satisfaction. Memento kept 'em coming, that's for sure. They were all answered well enough for my liking, all except one which I will not mention here. Memento is fantastic for me because I love a good mystery, and it keeps things fresh by answering each question while posing 2 new ones. Guy Pearce brings intelligence and sensitivity to his bewildered character. Carrie Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano give strong performances as well. Memento is a treasure for anyone who likes a deep, engaging and complex story.

Memento earns 4 wombats out of 4.