Real Reel of the week: “Memento” (2000)

It goes without saying that Christopher Nolan’s genius is unprecedented which may explain why “Memento”, in my opinion, is one of the greatest films in American cinema.

A classic and stylish film noir, “Memento” is  one of those films that hooks you at the very beginning and doesn’t let you go until well after the credits have rolled. It’s a thinking mans movie and you’ll want to see again to tie together any loose ends you may have missed.

Written and directed to perfection by Christopher Nolan, who I think is one of the best directors working today, “Memento” is the story of Leonard, a man who suffers from  Anterograde Amnesia and is desperate to find the person that killed his wife. Because of his short-term memory loss, he uses notes, tattoos and photos to recreate his memories but when he starts to doubt his cheat sheets and the people  around him, the story unfolds and leads to an ending that you will question for days to come.

One of the cool things about this film is that it is told backwards. So in a sense, it’s almost as if the audience is experiencing a short-term memory loss as well because various events repeat themselves throughout the film. You see the story through Leonard’s eyes and just like him, you have no idea who’s good and who’s bad.

Guy Pearce gives an exceptional performance as Leonard and its hard to believe that a man as talented as he has never received an Oscar nod. His passion and innocence in the film pulls the audience in and we’re with him every step of the way. Carrie Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano also give amazing performances.

As stated before, “Memento” is a thinking man’s film, so if you’re not up for the mental challenge of it then definitely pass. But if you are, head over to the video store or put it in  your Netflix queue because this is a movie that every film lover should see.