There are thrillers, and there are thrillers. The former come by dozens. But one gets to see only so much of the latter as this terrific offbeat modern noir, directed and adapted to screen by Christopher Nolan (from a short story by his brother) bears ample proof. Memento follows the cyclical journey of Leonard (Guy Pearce) aka Lenny - a former investigator for an insurance company, suffering from short-tern memory loss, who is desperately and meticulously (and damn ingeniously) searching for his wife’s murderer. Throw in the slippery glib-talking Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) who acts as if he is Lenny’s best buddy, and a cold and manipulative femme fatale Natalie (Carrie Ann-Moss) who knows an opportunity when she sees one, and you have a delectable trio to mount the perfect sucker punch. Told in reverse order, the mesmerizing, albeit fragmented, narrative allows the viewers to get a feel of the protagonists “condition”, as well as get to realize that nothing is what it seems – that everything (allies, enemies, victims) takes a new meaning as the movie progresses and the plot reverses. Great performances, a haunting soundtrack, a wacky sense of humour that is almost understated, a uniquely original style of storytelling – these add up to present an absolutely incredible film by one of the most sought after auteurs of this generation.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Crime Thriller/Post-Noir/Mystery
Language: English
Country: US
