ROLL M: Memento |
Memento (starring Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Jr.; written and directed by Christopher Nolan; rated R )
About a decade ago there was a superb PBS series called “The Mind,” which documented the case of an English patient suffering from a short-term memory loss ailment. His wife would walk in and out of the room several times in succession as a test, and he’d greet her like he hadn’t seen her in weeks. It is quite likely that British writer-director Christopher Nolan recalled this case when developing the premise of Memento, a quirky film that capitalizes on this idea.
Memento begins at the ending and ends at the beginning. That is, it’s a story told backwards. “Seinfeld” did it, and a handful of other TV series have attempted to unspool an episode in reverse. But there has never been a film as riveting and intelligently done as Memento.
As the film opens, Leonard Shelby (played by versatile actor Guy Pearce) has just shot someone. We learn who and why as the scenes of his life rewind. Leonard is searching for the person who raped and murdered his wife, but there’s a catch: he has no short-term memory due to an injury. He does, however, have pages full of notes, tattoos across his body, and all sorts of reminders, including a friend who may not be a friend, and an ever-present Polaroid camera, to guide him as he progresses in his search for the killer. The audience is challenged to remember the future as the director doles out pieces of the puzzle, guiding the story backwards, with each new scene explaining the future scenes we’ve just seen.
Got that? If this sounds confusing, just remind yourself – you’re a Mensan. No need to write that down… Just remember to see this outstanding film.
FOUR AND A HALF OWLS (out of five)