Memento
Composite Score: 85.13
Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior, Jorja Fox, Stephen Tobolowsky, Harriet Sansom Harris, Thomas Lennon, and Callum Keith Rennie
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Christopher Nolan
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
MPAA Rating: R for violence, language, and some drug content
Box Office: $40.05 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Memento is Christopher Nolan’s mystery thriller based on his brother Jonathan Nolan’s short story “Memento Mori” about a man suffering from short term memory loss and seeking revenge on the man who caused his injury and murdered his wife. It stars Guy Pearce in the lead role as Leonard, supported by Carrie-Anne Moss as bartender Natalie, Joe Pantoliano as the enigmatic Teddy, and Mark Boone Junior as Burt, the front desk worker at Leonard’s motel. The film is considered one of Christopher Nolan’s finest works, featuring one of the most unique storytelling devices, working backwards and forwards in short stints (the bits of time when Leonard can remember) until the timelines come together and the audience has a full picture of the story. It’s not just the gimmick that makes the film notable but also its ruminations on memory and its subjective nature and as a look at the moral decline of someone untethered from real memory. It received Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing and currently sits at #56 on IMDB’s list of top-rated films.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Memento shines as long as you take plenty of time between watches. Once you know the outcome and the intricacies of its twists, it can feel a bit underwhelming if you don’t give it time to settle back down in your mind a bit. It’s a film designed to make you think and blow you away with its surprises and methodology, but when you watch it without giving it time to settle, there’s a bit of novelty lost. Outside of the novelty of how its story unfolds, the film’s themes don’t offer a whole lot of depth beyond some philosophical ruminations that may or may not actually be stimulating, depending on the audience. Luckily for Nolan, that storytelling device goes a long way in keeping the film engaging on most rewatches, so long as they’re spaced out enough.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
While its themes might be more academic than some might prefer, Memento’s unique brand of storytelling (even for Nolan, who loves to play with the way time works in his films) compels the audience with each new watch, forcing you to contend with the state of mind of the flawed protagonist and constantly be in thought about the concepts of story and memory. The backwards and forwards storytelling to give the audience one complete story keeps the mind constantly inundated with new and old information, keeping the entire thing fresh and thrilling even when it’s just watching Guy Pearce talk on the phone and look in the mirror at himself. It lends weight to every moment of the film, forcing the audience to bear witness to the drama unfolding on the screen. Any moment could be a clue or a new revelation that will finally crack open what in the world is going on with Leonard and his accomplices. It works well, though, at never revealing too much in any given moment, only giving you the full catharsis of knowledge in the last few minutes, forcing you to reckon with your choice of rooting interest(s). It’s a brilliantly told story that does leave you just chilled enough to need to eventually revisit it.
Memento’s uniquely framed story keeps the audience hooked from start to finish, a hallmark of a great mystery/thriller, and offers them just enough of a glimpse at their own flaws to remain embedded in their memories for a good while, earning a place of greatness. Its unique style does not necessarily lend itself to constant rewatchability, but extended breaks between rewatches can be quite a rewarding practice with this particular film. It is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video for anyone looking to check it out in the near future.