Memento

Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time, and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together.

Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humor in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players, and the movie is all but stolen from him by Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. --Ali Davis

The story unfolds backwards, an unusual narrative technique that is tricky to use. We see a scene and think we understand. And then there is another scene that has happened prior to it, and it totally changes our perception of what is going on. Purposely, it is confusing. And purposely, there are moments of clarity where it all fits together only to become even more confusing in the next scene. Carrie Ann Moss plays a femme fatal and, as we get to know her, we are not quite sure what her motives are. Joe Pantolino is cast as in the role of Leonard's buddy, and we are constantly confused as to whether he is friend or foe.

I sat there fascinated as this complicated plot unfolded, enjoying the mastery in which the director led me down different avenues of thought and also introduced questions about the moral issues involved. By the end, I was absolutely sure of nothing at all, except that I had been traveling on a roller coaster of an experience that didn't have any easy answers. While I tend to want films to have a beginning, middle and end, and a story line that is easy to follow, this an exception to the rule. I definitely recommend to those who are willing to explore this unique film, which is certainly one of a kind.


Amazing, original, touching and chilling   July 8, 2001
Rod Chase (Boston, MA)
50 out of 53 found this review helpful

Memento is like nothing you have ever seen. That much I can garantee you. Guy Pierce suffers from a specialized form of amnesia where he no longer can make short term memories. His long term memory is intact right up to the incident which caused his condition...and his wife's death. Thus our swiss-cheese brained hero is seeking revenge for his wife, while his memory is wiped clean every ten minutes or so. Covered in tatoo's, pocket's full of polaroids with notes scribbled on them (such as a picture of what his car looks like, aptly labeled "Your Car") Pierce has to try and find the man responsible for the way his life is now while mixing with a great assorment of characters with no idea of how he met any of them or who he can trust. This is easily the best movie I saw this year and I highly recommend it.


Everything a DVD should be   July 20, 2002
Evil Jim (USA)
42 out of 46 found this review helpful

--Quick plot synopsis: A psychological thriller about a man with short-term memory loss trying to track down his wife's killer. It does an excellent view of putting the viewer on the same level as the main character by showing the movie in reverse. ie. The first scene you see is the last one in the story.

--The folks at Columbia/Tristar really went all-out to bring the viewer into this movie. The menus alone give you a perspective on the story and main character not possible in the theater. This two-disc set gives you everything you'd expect from a special edition: director's commentary; trailers; production photos; mini documentary; 5.1 surround sound, etc. But wait, there's more... It's just hidden within the maze of questions in the psychological exam that makes up the menus on both discs. If you keep searching on disc two, you'll be able to watch the movie in chronological order, which is my reason for buying this special edition. (If they don't edit this out as a spoiler, just select the Clock form the main menu, choose answer "c" five times on the questions, then put the pictures of the woman fixing the flat tire in the order of 3,4,1,2.)


Memento Limited Edition DVDisturbs Again   August 12, 2002
Mike Stone (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
37 out of 43 found this review helpful

This review will only deal with the features found on the "Memento Limited Edition 2 Disc Set", and not the merits of the movie proper.

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My only qualm with this DVD edition is the packaging. Wrapped in a tight-fitting but flimsy cardboard box, designed to look like Leonard Shelby's case file, it's almost impossible to get the discs out on first try. I find that I have to open the back to push out the innards, which tends to warp the shape of the box. Found inside are several loose sheets of paper, which look like psychological tests, notes from the case history, and, as you will soon see, the DVD's on-screen menus. The whole thing is ostensibly held together by a little plastic paper clip, whose only real purpose, I've deduced, is to get lost behind my TV set.

The first thing one notices once Disc 1 of the DVD loads is a psychological test, asking the viewer to commit to memory a list of words that will go flashing by on the screen. Don't be alarmed. Although Chris Nolan and Co. have set up the DVD to look like a series of tests, you really don't have to read through or pay much attention to everything on the screen. However, because sometimes they can be quite entertaining, I suggest you do. "Why are these people laughing at you?" asks one question. "We know you did it," ominously states another. This edition can get trippy if you let it.

After the memory flash, you are then asked to select from a list of words the ones you didn't see. Like I said, this isn't really a test, but an ingenious way to present the disc's main menu.

Selecting WATCH plays the movie. Selecting READ allows you to choose between English or Spanish subtitles, while LISTEN allows you to hear the movie in either English or French, 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 Surround Sound. CHAPTER sends you right to the scene selection option. And COMMENTS turns on Christopher Nolan's Director's Commentary track.

In my review of the commentary track for "Following", Nolan's first movie, I called his delivery "monotone... somnolent at times" but that he's "so smart and precise about what he's saying you can easily overlook that and become engrossed in the content." I can say pretty much the same thing here. Except that, in some ways, it's a less effective track. Nolan spends a lot of time analyzing the story, deconstructing the main character, his motivations, the structure, etc. They are the kind of out-loud thoughts a screenwriter might use when figuring out his screenplay, but serve little purpose for a viewer watching the film (okay, I suppose prospective screenwriters will get some value out of it). It is thrilling to see how Nolan's big brain works, how he's thought through every situation, and has a reason for including everything in the movie. But it's just one note played over and over for an hour and a half. If Nolan had mixed things up a bit, included more anecdotal information, or behind the scenes goodies, it would have been a stellar track. As it is, it's got a very narrow appeal.

Disc 2 begins much the same way that Disc 1 did, except this time you are asked to view a series of pictures, and then are asked to select which picture from a list wasn't shown. This is, as I'm sure you have guessed, the menu for the additional material features.

Selecting the COMPASS shows you a behind-the-scenes photo gallery, as well as pages from Leonard's Journal. The BOOK allows you to read Nolan's script while listening to the audio track of the movie. You are even privy to the notes he made in the margins of the script, offering further thoughts on how scenes might be filmed. The GLOBE brings forth a whole mess of international promotional material, while the BINOCULARS give the option of viewing the international and North American theatrical trailers.

Selecting the SKULL starts a featurette, produced by the Sundance Channel, called "Anatomy of a Scene". Nolan, his editor, composer, producer, cinematographer, and one actor (Joey Pantoliano) discuss the whys and hows of the production. Particular emphasis is given to the opening few scenes, detailing how they were set up to gently bring the audience into the aesthetic of the film. Overall, the 25-minute segment further cements the notion that Nolan is an intelligent filmmaker, in full control of his cinematic palette.

Although not listed in the features on the DVD box, the much-ballyhooed 'Chronological Version' -- playing the scenes in the order in which they happen rather than back to front -- is here. Trust me. I just watched it. I'm not going to tell you how to find this version, for I think that would be a spoiler on par with giving away the end (beginning?) of the movie. But I will say that this information is available in several places online, so those of you who get frustrated with the puzzle should easily be able to obtain the answers (if not, drop me an e-mail). And I must say, "Memento" is still quite a gripping tale when told this way. But it does make Nolan's reason for telling the story his "gimmicky" way quite clear. The problem with this feature, however, is that it doesn't offer you the option of fast forwarding or jumping from scene to scene. So unless you can watch the whole movie in one sitting, you better not press 'stop'.

If you enjoyed "Memento" because it was a complex puzzle of a film, than I suspect you will enjoy this equally complex and even more puzzling DVD version. I'm almost positive that there is more to this edition than the features I've listed above. And I look forward to hunting for them in the future... or is that the past?


Intense, intelligent, and often hilarious!   September 11, 2001
John Ritchie (Manhattan, KS USA)
30 out of 31 found this review helpful

The only film that I can think of that comes even close to the ingenuity of Memento is The Usual Suspects. Like that way underappreciated classic, Memento gives you the ending immediately, and then spends the rest of its time showing you how it got there. Each scene offers clues and various revelations--Leonard's tattoos, why he writes what he does on Natalie's and Teddy's pictures, what happened to his wife, Leonard's job before "the incident"--each of which are thrilling mini-narratives in themselves.

The acting is first rate. Guy Pearce, best known as "the one who wasn't Russell Crowe in L.A. Confidential", is Leonard, a character who will intrigue you, engage your sympathy, and might even scare you by the end. Joe Pantoliano's Teddy will have you debating his intentions towards Leonard for days afterwards. The real acting coup, however, is fellow Matrix alum Carrie Anne Moss--her performace as Natalie will make you love her, hate her, and make you fiercely protective of her.

The movie can only be watched on DVD. Keep the remote handy as you'll want to pause every now and then, if only to read Leonard's tattoos for various clues. After watching the movie, be sure to check out Otnemem in the Special Features section for newspaper articles, pictures, journal entries, and psychiatric reports on Mementos intriguing characters. They will help confirm what you think happened in the movie. DVD also offers the playful option of choosing to watch the movie backwards (or would it be watching the movie forward?). You will definitely consider the option after watching the movie. I haven't done it yet, but I can't wait to see the effect that it has on the movie.

This movie is worth the critical hype. If you enjoyed movies like The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, The Usual Suspects, Seven, Fight Club, and Dark City (some of my personal faves), then Memento will be the crown of your DVD collection!