:
Guy Pearce,
Guy Pearce,
Carrie-Anne Moss,
more...
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Christopher Nolan,
Christopher Nolan
see all cast/crew...
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: Columbia TriStar
: Independent, Suspense/Thriller, Neo Noir, Neo Noir
: 110 min.
: English
: English, Spanish
see additional details...
This title is currently out of print.
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A man is determined to find justice after the loss of a loved one, even though he is incapable of fully remembering the crime, in this offbeat thriller. Leonard (Guy Pearce) is a man who is struggling to put his life back together after the brutal rape and murder of his wife. But Leonard's problems are different from those of most people in his situation; he was beaten severely by the same man who killed his wife. The most significant manifestation of Leonard's injuries is that his short-term memory has been destroyed; he is incapable of retaining any new information, and must resort to copious note-taking and Polaroid photographs in order to keep track of what happens to him over the course of a day (he's even tattooed himself with a few crucial bits of information he can't get along without). Leonard retains awareness that his wife was brutally murdered, however, and he's convinced that the culprit still walks the streets. Leonard is obsessed with the notion of taking revenge against the man who has ruined his life, and he sets out to find him, getting help from Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss), who appears to be a sympathetic barmaid, and Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), who claims to be Leonard's friend, even though Leonard senses that he cannot be trusted. Writer/director Christopher Nolan adapted Memento from a short story by his brother Jonathan Nolan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
You might also enjoy:
Following
Nolan's stylish first film is interesting to study alongside his follow-up
Dark City
More sci-fi-meets-noirish, also tackles a man wrestling with amnesia
Impact
And if you want an older take on Amnesia-Noir (is that a new genre?), check this sleeper out
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| The Hollywoodization of an illness
by PotatoesBrowning
October 6, 2002 - 4:34 PM PDT
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5 out of 21 members found this review helpful
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| What we have here is a Hollywood movie (with a capital "H") masquerading as an indie film; an offering that hangs so desperately to its flashback gimmick it's painful to watch. Clove cigarette-smoking art house types are taking a look at this confusing mess and lining up to sing its praises, probably quietly telling themselves that since it is so incomprehensible, it must be deep. I'm afraid that's a case of "The Emperor has no clothes," because it's not. Take it from a real life caregiver for an Alzheimer?s patient, one cannot suffer from short term memory loss, then go drive around on a mission in a high-end sports car, dressed in flashy clothes, showing off a just-so haircut, rub elbows with dangerous underworld figures, and sleep with a beautiful Irish American bartender. The world--and mental illness-doesn't work that way. Hollywood should probably continue to stick to what it does best: movies about car chases, shoot-outs, and sexy cheerleaders. |
| Playing with our minds
by hneline1
July 21, 2002 - 12:30 AM PDT
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5 out of 6 members found this review helpful
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| This is a mesmerizing film that plays with our minds, where what we see and assume may not be reality. Director Christopher Nolan does a great job telling the story backwards while dropping just enough hints to keep us guessing until the end (or the beginning, as it were). Similar to other great films that play with memory, psychology and reality ( Sixth Sense, The Usual Suspects, Roshomon), you'll want to view it again. Also, the DVD contains a good interview with the director and other nice extras. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.56)
2682 Votes
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