Memento is a sort of murder mystery flashback with a few very unique and peculiar twists. First of all, the protagonist, Leonard Shelby has brain damage, such that he can’t store any new memories. Everything leading up to his trauma remains intact, but all new memories are gone in 5 minutes or less. On the trail to avenge his wife’s savage murder (the same attack in which he sustained his injury), he has to rely on notes scribbled on Polaroids to help piece events together and retain who is who and what is what. Without these reminders, he couldn’t even recognize his own car. The second twist: the movie’s storyline unfolds backwards. We see him killing the guy who supposedly killed his wife, then we backtrack through the events leading up.
At first, it’s quite intriguing, just watching Leonard struggle with his disability and make progress toward (or backwards from, as presented) his goal of revenge. Even though we know the outcome, it’s fascinating to watch how he arrives at his conclusions, how a series of scribbled reminders link together to identify the murderer and target him for death. As the story regresses, however, things become more complicated, as we see numerous parties trying to exploit Leonard and his condition. What we think might be a clear-cut revenge yarn becomes anything but.
Although the memory loss premise isn’t quite 100% consistent (sometimes Leonard can have a cohesive 5 minute conversation, then on another occasion he forgets what’s going on while being chased by a gunman) it’s still surprisingly effective. If you feel a bit overwhelmed, give yourself some credit; it’s hard work, keeping track of what has already going to happen. Frustrating as it might seem, telling this story backwards actually makes good sense. By having our own memories challenged, we feel a bit of what Leonard must be experiencing. While one is eventually bound to lose track of all the new twists and turns, at no point did I ever lose interest. And talk about original!
Australian actor Guy Pearce was excellent in the lead role; I didn’t even recognize him from L.A. Confidential or Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Joe Pantoliano (from The Fugitive, U.S. Marshals and The Sopranos) was fun as the very cagey and elusive Teddy. Carrie-Ann Moss (The Matrix) did a solid job as Natalie, a bartender whose role in this yarn becomes increasingly sinister.
So all in all, I highly recommend Memento for it’s unique yet highly engaging storyline. Just don’t get high before you see it. You’re going to need all your wits to keep up with this movie.