Memento

Memento is one of those rare gems that is clever and entertaining. Leonard, the protagonist, wakes up in a motel room not remembering how he got there. He looks in the mirror and sees the many tattoos on his body which inform him that his wife was raped and killed and he is on a hunt for the killer. Other tattoos and a copious amount of Polaroid photos and notes with him remind him of the clues he has accumulated on this chase. Leonard was afflicted with short term memory loss after his wife’s murder, he can remember everything upto her death, but he cannot form any new memories. So, he takes photos and keeps notes of everything. Is Leonard being used as a puppet by someone who is aware of his condition?

Memento fascinates the viewer from the very beginning with its unique non-linear sequence. Imagine the story as a thread with a beginning and an end. The movie is composed of alternate scenes, one progressing forward from the beginning and the other backwards from the end. The big surprising reveal comes in the climax when these tracks meet in the middle. The Nolan brothers deserve an Oscar for their screenplay which successfully pulls off this intricate feat, intriguing the viewer in every scene, but never losing him. Guy Pearce brings the Leonard character to life with razor-like focus to his acting. Director Christopher Nolan concludes the movie offering one possible meaning to the story, but he leaves enough threads open so that Memento will be a fertile source of discussions with your buddies. The concept of Memento has been used in Hindi and Tamil movies, both named Ghajini, but sadly they stripped the story of all its intelligence. Memento is a witty little movie that demands to be watched. Do not forget to check it out! ;-)