Review of Memento (2000) by Maineutral R — 12 Jul 2014

Christopher Nolan did very well with his short film Doodlebug, and did even better with The Following, but Memento marks his true breakthrough and also marks his edgy skill in films about narrative and complexity, and with mind. At this point, more than decade later, it's no surprise the film's fractured narrative, which goes both backwards and straight, resulting in a story that resolves on the very middle of it all, but for us, it's the very end after a long journey. It also features some actual actors and actresses, like Guy Pierce (whom in years later would piss me off in Iron Man 3) and Carrie-Anne Moss (who actual shows emotions here unlike her Trinity character in The Matrix trilogy).

As it can be expected with a Nolan film (back there being a surprise), the film is mind-blowing, brilliant, constantly thrilling, self-fulfilling, smart, entertaining and dark, not because it's a mad world, but because it feels realistic. Dark is not how much you tone down the colors, is in how smart it is, and thus, how realistic it is. As for what I heard, the film is mostly accurate in showing the experience of having anterograde amnesia, which forms part of the film's fractured narrative. The story is told in a very challenging way, in which you need to take these fragments and put them together by yourself while watching a new part of the story that chronologically already happened, but you didn't know. It's hard, but that makes it great. It's genius. Sure it's not the first film that does this, but it is one done with effort and skill.

The sole fact of the fractured narrative gives this movie a twist on how you normally watch a film. It goes away from the three act structure and goes for having the first act as the finale. On the way, seeing all that happens (and that the characters forgets, unfortunately for him) gives a certain complexity, very Nolan-ish. Even the poster itself has the Droste effect, which consist of a picture appearing within itself. Perfect depiction of the movie. Memento is widely regarded as one of the best films in the 2000-2010 decade, and I can see why. People still talk about this film, and surely will do for many other years. Nolan, you didn't disappoint, because as always, you exceeded my expectations.