Memento

Released 2000
Stars Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Stephen Tobolowsky, Harriet Sansom Harris, Callum Keith Rennie, Jorja Fox
Directed by Christopher Nolan

Memento stars Austalian actor Guy Pearce (one of the crossdressers in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and the "straight" guy L.A. Confidential) as Leonard Shelby, a former insurance investigator and crime victim who is trying to find the man who raped and murdered his wife (Jorja Fox). His goal is simple - he wants revenge through execution. Nothing less will satisfy him. But there's a small matter that complicates Leonard's investigation. He has no short term memory. During the attack that ended his wife's life, Leonard suffered brain damage. Now, although his long-term memory is fine, he can't remember any recent events. He can meet the same person a hundred times and won't know their name or who they are. To combat his condition, Leonard relies upon a series of annotated Polaroid snapshots - not exactly the ideal tool by which to seek out a killer who even the police can't locate. Along the way, Leonard is aided (or perhaps hindered) by the ubiquitous Teddy (Joe Palantonio), who is always on hand to offer advice, and he becomes involved with the mysterious Natalie (Carrie-Ann Moss), whose motives may not be as straightforward as they initially appear to be.

Summary by James Berardinelli

Do you remember the backward episode of "Seinfeld"? The one where the entire episode is told in reverse? "Memento" is that episode crossed with "The Fugitive." It's a fresh, exciting film that grips you from beginning to end, and the backward aspect gives you a sense of what it must be like for Leonard as he constantly works backward to figure out the moment. I really enjoyed the story of Sammy Jankis, which was woven throughout. This story was functional in that it allowed for backstory and exposition, but it was also poignant as it made a statement about insurance companies and the effects of an accident on loved ones. "Memento" also strikes the proper balance of ambiguity. There's resolution for most items, but not all (namely, Sammy Jankis). --Bill Alward, September 17, 2001