?Memento? is the second offering from director Christopher Nolen, it was while watching his third directorial venture ?Insomnia? that I grew fond of his unique directorial style and thought of watching ’Memento’. ?Memento?, often rated as one of the best movies of 2001, is based on a short story written by Nolan?s brother.
The story
?John G raped and murdered my wife.’’ -- This is not the kind of event that a person needs to tattoo on their chest to remember, but that?s what Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) has to do. It was during rape/murder/robbery that Leonard suffers major brain damage and loses all his ability of short term memory. He cannot create new memories and the last incident that he can remember is that of his wife..(how sweet)..dying.
Thus everyday in his life is sort of a puzzle etched in tattoos, Polaroid snaps, notes written down in scraps of paper. Even with that sort of handicap, Leonard tries to track down his wife?s killers through shady motels, warehouses in Los Angeles, his camera and pen with him at all times. During his search for the killers he comes across a bar waitress Natalie (Carie-Ann Moss of Matrix fame) and Teddy (Joe Pantoliano).
The characters also form an intricate part of the mystery in solving the crime and has their own interests in helping out Leonard. To Leonard, Natalie is someone ?who will help you out of pity?, as ?she has also lost someone? and he should not ?believe in the lies? of Teddy, he has to recognize them every day out of the snaps. Leonard also recalls a similar case that he had come across during his tenure as an insurance claims investigator, the story of Sammy Jenkins.
Sammy also had a similar problem of short term memory loss, but Leonard during his investigations felt that Sammy was faking the memory loss. Lenny had seen a hint of recognition in Sammy?s eyes each time he went to meet Sammy, but Sammy always denied any recollection. The way Sammy?s story is webbed with that of Lenny?s is revealed in the climax Giving up anything more on the story will be criminal.
The direction
?Memento? has one of the most original and riveting of directorial ventures, the whole story being played out backwards, not like rewind, but rather in reverse chronology. This works out very well as it puts the audience in the same predicament as Leonard , sort of unaware of what has happened before, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together.
The kind of movie ?Memento? is, always runs the risk of getting slower or becoming predictable but to Nolan?s credit, the momentum keeps the viewer engrossed in his seat throughout the movie, and the end is completely unpredictable and would keep one thinking for a long time. With a murder mystery as complex as this, directors also need to be careful, not leaving any loose ends, any flaws; And this is where Nolan scores.
His meticulous attention to detail is worth noting, except probably for one flaw in the whole script there is nothing which looks a bit murky or not entirely convincing. The one flaw is that of Leonard remembering his condition each time although he fails to create any new memories. His condition of course is not tattooed anywhere, neither is written down in any scrap. But for something as refreshingly original as this, I am ready to overlook this misdemeanor.
The cast
The movie from start to finish is a complete Guy Pearce show. I liked Pearce in his role as Lt. Exley in LA Confidential. But this is even better. Pearce plays a riff on the classic film noir hero, flawed, motivated, tough and sympathetic, and does so with great charisma. Some of the lingering events of the movie is Pearce?s moments with Moss. Natalie, who is perpetually shifting motivations, is depicted well by Carrie-Ann Moss. Joe Pantoliano as Teddy also chips in with a good performance.
Memories
My short term memory is alright, and thus it helps me to remember some of the most delightful events in the movie. My favorite is the opening scene which shows a Polaroid snap slowly fading. After the credits are over we realize it is actually a scene played in reverse as is the whole opening sequence.
The moment where Leonard forgets in the middle of a chase whether he is chasing or he is being chased is brilliant, so is the intriguing story of Sammy Jenkins played in black and white, Natalie removing the pens from her house or when Leonard says ?How can I heal? How am I supposed to heal if I can’t... feel time??; Memento is studded with such brilliant moments which leaves an indelible impression on the audience.
Conclusion
There are some films which require you to leave your brain at home and there are some which inspires you to shrug off your laziness and actually write a big review on a boring weekend. Memento ranks as one of the best films I have ever seen, probably the most original; And surrounded by the current heap of mediocrity it stands out as a daring and unforgettable work. I can?t wait for more from Nolan.