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Before Christopher Nolan made himself synonymous with Batman, he directed this number 1 flick of its time, Memento, the modern example of mindf*** and neo-noir. Memento works like an intricate embroidered pattern, everything stitched perfectly with expert hands. Don't you just love the feeling that you just saw something that was beyond your thinking capability and something just out of your hand's reach? 80% of the fun watching a film like this lies in how much you understood of it. The remaining 20% is entertainment, which is not really important. I'm not gonna go in the obvious facts of the movie, you can understand that from other members' reviews or by watching it yourself. Anyway, it is such a well-made non-linear film that it very well could be the greatest non-linear film ever. Finally, a film that not only makes you rack up your brains but actually makes you wanna get deeper into the shown subject or take a 2-minute interest in it. Not a bad thing, I say. Since I take a rather morbid interest in these things, I kinda understood it on the very first try and I think I'm able to place the film in correct chronological order and come up with solutions to the loop-holes and the psychological level in all the major characters. I just need to see it one more time tomorrow to corroborate with what I understand, or think I understand. Mind you, it's not Donnie Darko, to which the answers are obvious, Memento is much deeper than that, more than just one person. It is about identity; lack of it, or several of it.
Anyway, Guy Pearce was Christopher Nolan's first Christian Bale. It's a wonder why Nolan never bought back Pearce in any of his other movies. The cast of Memento is undeniably the best cast Nolan has ever chosen for his film, no kidding. Everyone were convincing and perfect in their characters. Take Joe Pantoliano as Teddy for example: He will always remain the supporting actor, but a great one at that (check out The Matrix and The Fugitive). He managed to bring realism to his character. Then we have Carrie Anne Moss as Natalie. She is one of my favourite actresses and this is one of her best roles to date. She brings a level of mysteriousness to her character alongside realism. Now take Stephen Tobolowsky as Sammy Jankins. In his limited screen-time, Stephen manages to grab your attention and etches himself in your mind. Then of course we have Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, one of the damn best movie characters out there. The thing is that Nolan has a good eye for choosing the perfect actor / actress for a certain role. Guy Pearce looks both an ordinary citizen and someone who you wouldn't see walking down the street everyday, an important VIP, a secret agent maybe. The interesting combination provided by Pearce made Leonard Shelby more than just a movie character, more than just a person, a person we hold in our back of our minds and he embodied it masterfully. Nolan should cast him again in a film of his.
Anyway, Memento is a thinking film and not for lazy couch potatoes. If you can't understand the film, try to.
9.0/10
