It's really not a question of whether you should see this film, rather when you should. It's obviously not an actionfest, however neither is it a mildly engaging thriller with a good plot and an unexpected twist. This is a film that requires the utmost concentration throughout to keep up with exactly what's going on - it's not a rollercoaster that threatens to throw you with sharp turns and dizzying sights, more of an endurance test which you struggle to keep a grip of for it's near two hour running time.
The films concerns an ex-insurance investigator, Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce, who gives a remarkable performance and is almost matched by the other cast members), who has lost the ability to form new memories since he was attacked while his house was broken into. The same incident left his wife raped and murdered and now his only purpose for living is to exact vengeance on the person who ruined his life. We follow his endeavours in trying to find this man and also to try and not have his condition taken advantage of by the various manipulative characters who know him.
The reason for Memento making you feel like your grey matter is being stretched like the fabric of Lara Croft's t-shirt is not just because it is a meticulously constructed plot packed with twists, but because you have to negotiate the storyline backwards, reflecting Leonard's inability to remember what had previously occurred. Only the opening scene runs literally in reverse, however the sequence of scenes is rearranged so you know the end of the story from the start (bear with me here, please) but not until the final line are you able to say you can truly see the full picture.
Once this narrative structure is adopted writer/director Christopher Nolan is more or less committed to it, although there are some interspersed scenes in black and white that break the framework but are vital in revealing clues or sometimes providing further complexity. When these 'flashbacks' (although essentially the entire film is composed of flashbacks) become one of Leonard's facts to remember each day, due to him taking a polaroid of the incident, the film subtly transfers back to colour.
This format, combined with a sparse soundtrack and relentless reassesment of each characters motives, makes Memento a wearing but ultimately rewarding experience; the only moments of levity are some laugh out loud moments due to Leonard's condition, or rare dramatic irony which we are denied for most of the film. However, even these are offset by the tragic story of Sammy, a man with a similar condition, that runs alongside the main events and is uncomfortable viewing. Make sure you've got your thinking cap on when you watch this film, anyone wearing their dunce's cap will quickly get lost and be denied a great challenge. |
