Memento

Memento is one of Christopher Nolan’s earlier films, and it is without a doubt one of his best. It follows a man who is trying to find the man who raped and murdered his wife, but he has amnesia. This in itself doesn't sound like much of a plot, but the whole film is presented in reverse. Scene-by-scene happens in reverse order and it is up to the audience to piece together what is going on. When the climax of the film comes, it is phenomenal if you've managed to keep up with the movie.

By presenting each scene in reverse, Nolan makes sure that he keeps your attention throughout the film. Memento keeps you thinking after you've finished watching, and once you put everything together your perception of nearly every main character changes. For example, Natalie starts the film as trying to help Leonard but becomes more and more frustrated with him, and develops into a spiteful person. However, chronologically, she starts off very hostile towards him but develops more sympathy and understanding. Also, in film terms, Leonard is a man getting closer and closer to the main who killed his wife, but is shown to be more and more damaged chronologically speaking.

Guy Pearce stars as Leonard Shelby, the man with amnesia who is trying to find his wife’s killer. For me, he is fantastic in this film, and his character has a sort of speech which he delivers every time he sees a new person. Because he can’t remember if he’s met them before he has to deliver this speech explaining what’s wrong with him. Guy Pearce manages perfectly to make the audience believe in his character, and his intonation when he is giving the speech to every person doesn't change one bit. Also, his character is as believable at the beginning of the film as it is at the end, which is a testament to Pearce’s ability to develop his performances.

Carrie-Anne Moss appears as Natalie, and it’s quite difficult to describe her character. She starts (or ends) the film as Leonard’s friend, but ends (or starts) as the girlfriend of the man that Leonard killed. Obviously this makes her very hostile, but as she experiences him more, Moss does a very good job of showing how sympathetic she has become to him. When she agrees to help him find the man who killed his wife the audience doesn't think anything of it, but when you piece together the different scenes this comes across as an act of kindness towards the man who killed her boyfriend. Her ability to develop from friend to hostility, and to play hostility with such intense cruelty is marvellous.

Joe Pantoliano is Leonard’s friend Teddy. His character is perhaps the most complex in the movie, as he seems to be a friend, but as the movie goes on the audience discovers that he is a (dodgy) cop who is trying to get Leonard out of town before he hurts more people, or gets himself killed. Sadly Leonard’s twisted behaviour coupled with his amnesia result in Teddy being killed at the beginning of the film. I think Pantoliano does very well in Memento, but the real plaudits have to go to Christopher Nolan. Throughout the film, the audience isn't sure whether or not to trust or believe in Teddy, and I went through a progression of dislike to sympathy with his character. Nolan’s ability to make the audience do this is incredible, and should have won an Academy Award for his direction in this film.

As it goes, Memento was (wrongly) not nominated for a single Academy Award. It was beaten to the nominations by a number of (in my opinion) lesser films. Another plaudit going Memento’s way is the response from scientists to its release. Usually when there’s a film dealing with a psychological issue, many people are quick to point out exactly where the film has gone wrong in portraying the disorder. However, Memento has only received positive responses from many psychologists, and this too is a testament to Christopher Nolan’s fantastic commitment to the accuracy of his films.

Memento is an absolute classic in my opinion. It is the kind of film that can appeal to everyone. If you like films about medical conditions, or if you like mystery, or if you like thrillers then Memento should be on your watchlist. It’s frequent listing as one of the ‘films to see before you die’ underlines this. However, if nothing else, watch it for the end. When everything pieces together and the jigsaw is complete, you mind will be blown. And if that doesn't get you watching it, nothing will.