Casual Cogitations

Got if figured out? Forget about it, because you don't. By going backwards, we essentially know what Leonard knows, and since he can't remember anything that really isn't much. Instead, we get a look at Leonard's fragmented memory, which consists of a collection of photographs and tattoos that serve as his guide.

A prominent tattoo continuously reminds him that "John G. raped and murdered [his] wife" so that he won't lose sight of his purpose. Once the audience finds itself getting comfortable with Leonard's world, which is a disorienting experience at the beginning of Memento, the story falls into place rapidly and with great ease. At first, there are questions that might seem clever, such as "If he has no memory, how does he remember he has a condition?" Without revealing too much, all of these questions eventually get answered, but you need to pay close attention to get them. That, or you need to watch Memento more than once. Very few psychological thrillers have been able to deliver original and shocking moments, but Memento does so splendidly. Since I'd rather not reveal too much of the story, you'll just have to take my word on this one.

The acting in Memento is nothing short of brilliant. Guy Pearce, who played the part of a clean-cut cop in L.A Confidential, gives an amazing performance as a man who's never too sure of where he is or what he's doing. Leonard is a character with a strict moral code, yet feels betrayed by his memory and continually worries about the idea that he's done something wrong. Leonard has also been hurt emotionally by the events that caused his memory problem, and he's continually haunted by the vision of his wife dying next to his side on a cold bathroom floor. These are two traits that would not make for a well-balanced character, but Leonard seems real to the audience and it becomes very easy to empathize with him thanks to Pearce's performance. If Memento is a modern film noir, and I certainly contend that it is, then Carrie-Anne Moss' Natalie will be a femme fatale against which all other femme fatales will be judged. Moss is a talented actress whose multi-layered character needs to play off Leonard's various moods. If you've seen Moss in other films, you will have an entirely new opinion of her skills after watching Memento. That brings me to Joe Pantoliano, who has made a career of playing schemers, dirtbags, and low-level hoods, which suits the part of Teddy to a tee. We're told, through Leonard's notes, that we're not supposed to trust Teddy, and Pantoliano plays up his shiftiness to reinforce that. The plot to Memento is terrific, but it's the three principle actors that elevate the film to its greatness.

Christopher Nolan proves himself to be a very clever director with Memento. I cannot imagine the logistics of creating a film where the story flows uphill, so to speak, but Nolan manages it flawlessly. After listening to his audio commentary (more on this in a moment), I was amazed at the amount of conscious decision that went into the various setups to convey the ideas behind Memento. Nolan's script also brings a lot of things to think about to the table. If Leonard is ever able to complete his quest for vengeance, how would he know that he succeeded? Since he only remembers that his wife is dead, why hunt somebody down if he'd never be able to remember the satisfaction of hunting him down? The script also speaks a lot about the nature of memory, and how our own memories serve as our identities. What becomes of us if that memory is faulty? If we tell ourselves something often enough, does that make it true? I've watched Memento several times now and each time I've been amazed at the new things I've noticed.

Memento is a vastly original thriller that lives up to the hype, bringing us an engaging, entertaining and thought-provoking story and is highly recommended.