Memento Review
by Tim Wick
Warning: This is not a popcorn film! This is, in fact, a noirish thriller
that expects you - nay forces you - to think and pay attention. You won't
be able to go to the lobby for popcorn. You are going to need to hold it
(if you get my meaning). If you leave the theatre, you pretty much have to
settle yourself to the fact you are going to have to watch the entire movie
from the beginning.
This film has been bopping around the art houses for about a month now, but
an anemic summer release schedule has pushed it into a wider release. I,
for one, think this is a very good thing. As small and intimate as Pearl
Harbor is trying to be big and public, it's about the best time for this
movie to go looking for a wider audience. After the excess that is The
Mummy Returns and A Knights Tale, it's good to clean one's palette with
something just a bit more engaging.
Memento is certainly that. The film begins in the last act and takes us
backwards through the events that preceded it. This gimmicky concept could
be little more than a gimmick, but it is used to convey the plight of the
main character who has lost his short term memory. Because Leonard Shelby
(Guy Pearce - a long way from Pricilla, Queen of the Desert) cannot
remember anything that happened even two minutes ago, we constantly arrive
at a moment in time that we are just as confused as he. The film then takes
the time to explain to us what happened. We, as an audience, slowly learn
what happened prior to the opening moments of the film even as Leonard is
cursed to forget it all.
Tricky and a bit confusing at first, once you get used to it the
storytelling conceit works well. It has to if you are to feel anything for
Leonard, whose motivation to revenge his murdered wife is both respectable
and pitiful. When he observes that he doesn't even know how long ago his
wife died, you wonder how long he has been on this quest. Of course, he
doesn't know either. His life is filled with people he has met before, but
he can't remember. "You don't remember me" they tell him and he
matter-of-factly tells them that no, he doesn't.
It's spooky to imagine being trapped in the now. Never aware of why that
guy is chasing you or even if he is chasing you or you are chasing him.
Losing focus for even a moment can spell the difference between having the
piece of information you need or being forced to begin your investigation
anew. We feel compassion for this character because we could not continue
to exist in such a world. "Do you know who you are?" he is asked many
times. "I am Leonard Shelby" he replies. "No, that is who you WERE. Do
you know who you ARE?" is the response. That's the whole point, isn't it?
Leonard doesn't know and neither do we.
Carrie-Ann Moss, who seems destined to appear in terrific films alongside
stars of Pricilla Queen of the Desert (The Matrix - Hugo Weaving for
those of you who missed the obscure movie reference), plays the femme fatale
role. The only way we know we can trust her is because of a note written on
a Polaroid and because Leonard's instincts say he should trust her. Should
he, really? Having seen the film, I'm not even sure.
Leonard's only other contact is Teddy (Joe Pantoliano). He is a friend who
seems to be everywhere that Leonard is, but we are never sure why. His
presence could be a good thing or a bad thing but since Leonard doesn't
know, neither do we.
The true beauty of the film is that you walk of the theatre in a fog of
confusion. The fog is created by great storytelling that recognizes the
only way we can get into Leonard's head is if we are just as confused and
lost as he is. I had a ton of questions floating around in my head at the
end of the film and we spent a long time trying to decide what we thought
had really happened. That a group of us could not come up with the
definitive answer is both the mark of a well spun, engaging tale, and the
beginning of many sleepless nights as I try to figure out the truth.
Movie's like this are films that need and deserve the kind of support film
goers are slow to give them. We would all much rather see the extravaganza
that is Pearl Harbor than a little thriller that leaves us dazed and
confused. I understand that, but you would be doing yourself a disservice
if you chose to miss this film.
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Memento
Four and a Half
Beakers
(out of five)
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Based on his belief that people coming to this site give a rip about his
opinion, you have probably guessed that Tim Wick has a pretty big ego.
Despite having no experience as a critic, he insists on writing these boorish
reviews of movies in a vain attempt to feel more important. Since it allows
us to put up new material on the site and keep you all coming back for more,
we go ahead and humor him.
We don't know anything about Tim's past. We assume that he just walked out
of the west like Cain in Kung Fu, but we don't really care. He is a member
of the board of directors for MISFITS and runs the read the book/see the
movie club.
Or so he claims...
You can also read Tim's Shrek Review
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