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I stayed up until 1 a.m., eagerly watching the Academy Awards, hoping to see Memento win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. But alas, my waiting was in vain. If I were handing out the awards, however, this movie would have definitely taken home a few.
You see, once in a great while, a movie comes along and absolutely blows my mind –- that’s Memento. And considering that it was a semi-independent film (meaning that it went to indie film fests, though it still had enough money to cast some pretty big names, like Carrie-Anne Moss), it makes me wonder why Hollywood is blowing hundreds of millions of dollars on mediocre films –- instead of unforgettable ones like this one.
Memento is the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man who lost his short-term memory when he tried to save his wife from the man who raped and murdered her. Intent on revenge, Leonard keeps track of the facts with the help of Polaroids, scribbled notes, and tattoos, which tell him which hotel he’s staying in, who he can trust, and who’s lying to him.
The story is filmed in Tarantino-like intensity –- in short clips, jumping from one story to another. To complicate things even more, the scenes are shown in reverse chronological order. You view each scene through the main character’s eyes -– not knowing what happened earlier. In the end, everything you took as a given is shaken –- and you’re left wondering who the bad guys really were and who was telling the truth.
When it was all over, I spent hours working everything out, playing everything in true chronological order. And the more I thought through it, the more amazed I became. Writer/producer Christopher Nolan proves his talent as a screenwriter, and I can’t wait to see more out of him.
Be warned that Memento isn’t a brainless movie. Rent it, and be prepared for two hours of blissful confusion that will drive you to replay it over and over.
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