Memento (2000)
R
|
|
Mystery,
Thriller
|
25 May 2001
(USA)
8.5
Ratings:
8.5/10 from 736,301 users
Metascore: 80/100
Reviews: 2,014 user | 265 critic | 34 from Metacritic.com
Reviews: 2,014 user | 265 critic | 34 from Metacritic.com
A man creates a strange system to help him remember things; so he can
hunt for the murderer of his wife without his short-term memory loss
being an obstacle.
Director:
Christopher Nolan
Writers:
Christopher Nolan (screenplay), Jonathan Nolan (short story "Memento Mori")Stars:
Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano | See full cast and crew »Storyline
Memento chronicles two separate stories of Leonard, an ex-insurance
investigator who can no longer build new memories, as he attempts to
find the murderer of his wife, which is the last thing he remembers. One
story line moves forward in time while the other tells the story
backwards revealing more each time. Written by
Scion013
User Reviews
can't believe how much I'm still thinking the day after
So the "innovative"
concept of filming out of sequence has been cliche for at least a few
years now, but here's a film that makes it work far better than its been
shown in a while.
Having read the reviews and talked to others who saw it, I thought that I'd go into the movie figuring everything out right away and declaring the concept unworkable. I couldn't be further from the truth. This movie does things to your head that are illegal in some countries. Portrayed (for all intents and purposes) backwards, it forces you to think in the same way that our lead character, Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce being more brilliant than usual) does. Suffering from a condition that renders him unable to remember anything for more than a few minutes, he is searching for the man who raped and killed his wife. Since each seen lasts no more than 15 minutes before jumping back to the what happened before that, our perceptions are shattered in the same way.
Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano (both of The Matrix) put in great performances that leave you guessing; simultaneously endearing and revolting.
Overall I left the film trying to figure out what was what, and I'm still not sure. This film noir concept shouldn't work, but it does so wonderfully.
Having read the reviews and talked to others who saw it, I thought that I'd go into the movie figuring everything out right away and declaring the concept unworkable. I couldn't be further from the truth. This movie does things to your head that are illegal in some countries. Portrayed (for all intents and purposes) backwards, it forces you to think in the same way that our lead character, Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce being more brilliant than usual) does. Suffering from a condition that renders him unable to remember anything for more than a few minutes, he is searching for the man who raped and killed his wife. Since each seen lasts no more than 15 minutes before jumping back to the what happened before that, our perceptions are shattered in the same way.
Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano (both of The Matrix) put in great performances that leave you guessing; simultaneously endearing and revolting.
Overall I left the film trying to figure out what was what, and I'm still not sure. This film noir concept shouldn't work, but it does so wonderfully.
