Rating of
4/4
Masterpiece.
FZero - wrote on 02/06/08
To label Memento as a modern-day masterpiece would be a striking understatement. Nolan has created a film that distinctively stands on its own against any era, an achievement he will in all likelihood never duplicate throughout his career. Multiple screenings are an absolute requirement as the answers don’t come easy and the conclusion is open to interpretation.
Memory is an essential part of everyday life. It builds character and creates experiences that define us. Memento takes a haunting look at a man whose inability to make new memories makes him an empty shell with only one goal in mind, revenge for his dead wife.
Memento is shown in reverse chronology, where the viewer is shown to 3-8 minute segments in reverse. The “end” of the movie plays out in the first scene and goes backwards from there. The narrative never feels like a gimmick, but an inspired plot device to get us to connect to Leonard and get a sense of the confusion he's feeling. Guy Pearce gives a career defining performance. His weakness as a man unable to find the truth in himself and others is something we can all understand and relate to.
Throughout the film we see Leonard try to piece together a puzzle that may not have an answer. Memory is hardly reliable, ask a few people for a recollection of the an event and all their answers will be different. Colours change, actions are overstated and personal preference of the outcome often gives the memory a different canvas. Can Leonard really trust his interpretation of events through notes and tattoos when lives hang in the balance? The question still remains, when all the pieces are on the board will the moment be forgotten?
This is a film you cannot miss one single moment of. Very unpredictable, the viewer just simply goes along for the ride. A film that confuses you, entertains you, and will give you one desire at the end: to watch it again and take a deeper look.
