Memento (2000) – Film Review

Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano
Certificate: 15

By Sarah Morgan

Christopher Nolan is all the rage at the moment. His most recent big-screen release, Oppenheimer, has done astonishingly good business around the world, proving that in an industry dominated by popcorn movies, cerebral offerings made for grown-ups can still make a packet at the box office.

Not that Nolan isn’t keen on superhero films himself, having made the three Batman productions starring Christian Bale in the lead role. But his approach to them was rather darker and more thoughtful than anything the Marvel Cinematic Universe has produced during the last few years.

Before the Batman franchise made him a superstar director, Nolan was making smaller and arguably more intriguing productions, including Memento, which was his breakthrough project.

“Scribbled notes and tattoos”

The plot was inspired by a story written by Nolan’s own brother, Jonathan, and stars Guy Pearce as Leonard, a man whose ability to form new memories has been destroyed by a violent attack in which his wife was also killed.

Since then, Leonard has been trying to find the villain responsible, recording his discoveries in a series of scribbled notes and tattoos – if the facts are indelible on his body, they’re always there for reference.

Helping – or possibly hindering – him are two mysterious people, Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) and Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss), who may be offering him assistance out of the goodness of their hearts, or for their own devious ends; we have to watch Leonard figure it all out before reaching a conclusion.

The story of what happened is also told in reverse as Leonard pieces together fragments of information, eventually figuring out the truth at the end of the movie. 

“Intriguing approach”

Memento isn’t the sort of tale you can dip in and out of while doing your household chores – not that you would want to. Its intriguing approach to storytelling grabs your attention from the outset and doesn’t let go, and if you miss a second, you may end up as confused and bewildered as the main protagonist.

Pearce – who’s recently been seen on the small screen reprising his role as Mike in Aussie soap Neighbours – is mesmerising in the lead role; we’re moved by his plight and probably feel grateful while watching him stumble through life that we’re not in the same position.

Pantoliano and Moss deliver strong supporting performances in Memento too. While Nolan proves that even on the tightest of budgets – or perhaps because of that – it’s possible to make an intelligent, inventive and gripping drama.

The special features on the disc include must-see interviews with the Nolan brothers and producer Emma Thomas (who is also Christopher’s wife), who offer fascinating insights into the film’s birth.