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• 2001 / 113 minutes
• 16x9 widescreen presentation
• 2.35:1 aspect ratio
• Subtitles in English and Spanish
• English 5.1 Dolby Digital sound
• Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano
• Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolan
• Extras: IFC interview with Christopher Nolan; theatrical trailer and TV spot; “Following” trailer; Tattoo Gallery; Director and Cast biographies; link to Memento website

The Film:

The art of film noir is the creation of a feeling of total uncertainty. Nobody can trust anyone, as everyone involved in the plot has their own private agendas; their own deep and dark secrets that are well-hidden behind the shadows of deceit and trickery. The mystery itself almost becomes secondary to the spreading paranoia surrounding the main character. Who can he trust? Who should he believe? What comes next?

In Memento, these questions of trust and misdirection are taken in wholly original paths, as the genre of noir gets a total facelift with this blindingly original screenplay.

Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) is a man without a memory. Some time ago, he and his wife were assaulted; she was murdered, he suffered a peculiar form of brain damage that left him unable to form any new memories. His mind is a clean slate from that moment forward – he can function normally, he can remember his life before the attack, but everything he encounters, unless he concentrates on it that moment, is lost and forgotten. The only way he knows anything for a fact is to leave himself reminders. Notes, he says during the film, can be lost. The only true way to ensure that he remembers a fact is the permanent way. And so, Leonard is a man with tattoos covering his body, laying out the facts and figures of his vengeance so he can learn every day as he wakes what his life’s goal should be.

We begin the film witnessing Leonard carry out the act for which he has devoted his entire life: the execution of the man he believes is responsible for the murder of his wife and the theft of his memories. But is this the right man? Is this murder the final act of justification for a man wronged, or is there something deeper, something darker, afoot?

We experience this film in a wholly original way. Each scene begins as Leonard experiences it, with absolutely no context or recall to what happened before. We’re disoriented, much as Leonard is, with how each series of events plays itself out until the blackness of forgetfulness starts again. Then we see how the previous scene unfolds; the entire film heads backwards in time.

It’s a completely linear storytelling technique. Every scene ends where the previous one began, and as more of the story unfolds, and more characters are revealed (they were introduced earlier, or is that later, through pictures Leonard takes of them), more questions are raised than are answered. Why are these people helping him, or hindering him? Who knows what about his life’s mystery? How much of what he remembers (or thinks he remembers) is true and what is a lie?

Memento raises fascinating questions about the vagaries of memory, and the importance of context in wondering if what really happened, ever happened at all. The unique pace and structure of the film works wonderfully in taking the viewer inside the mind of a man who only knows what he has learned in the past five minutes. These things he knows can change drastically from scene to scene, and dramatically alter the course of events with only the subtlest of changes.

Memento is a rock-solid drama, a classic film noir, and one of the best films released in the past year. It’s a movie that you will definitely want to see again, and make you reach for your DVD remote to watch that last chapter just one more time – to see if you really did see what you just saw.

The Features:

Memento has several interesting extras on the DVD, though the entire presentation suffers for the distinct lack of a director’s commentary – or any commentary track at all. I would much like to have heard Christopher Nolan’s notations on certain scenes and certain techniques. A film with this much careful structure is obviously well-planned, and it would have been very interesting on many levels to hear a play-by-play commentary.

They do include, however, an interview clip from the Independent Film Channel, where Nolan discusses the film and its themes, without giving away any spoilers. This does hint at the director’s motivations and ideals behind the creation of Memento.

Another very interesting addition is the inclusion of the entire transcript of ‘Memento Mori’ , the short story written by Nolan’s brother Jonathan, which was the basis for the film. While a good read, it’s obviously a very different finished product than the film, and works in very different ways towards achieving its ultimate goal. It does contain spoilers, however, so watch the film first.

The Bottom Line:

Memento should, by all rights, be in line for several Oscar nominations next spring, and is a very accomplished film, well worth adding to any DVD collection. Strong acting performances, especially by Pearce and the surprisingly versatile Moss, and outstanding direction make this a classic film for any generation. Highly recommended.