High on Nolan: Memento Review

We're getting closer to Christopher Nolan's most anticipated film to date, Inception, so it seems only right to look to the films he's made in the past. When I think of the director, the first film that comes to mind isn't The Dark Knight, but Memento, because that was something that came almost completely out of his imagination. He came up with an interesting way to tell a story, infused it with flawed, interesting characters who are not at all what they appear to be.

Guy Pierce plays Leonard Shelby, a man who loses his wife and his memory in a brutal home invasion. He doesn't remember what he's done, but he knows what he has to do. He's been looking for the man who killed his wife, and that's what motivates him. The backwards storytelling has been scoffed at by some who choose to watch the film in chronological order. However the film just isn't as affective that way. Leonard isn't on the same journey as the audience. Our journey is a hell of a lot less frustrating.

The acting in the film really paved the way for the following decade. Guy Pierce did a great job portraying different versions of Shelby. It really speaks on how our view of the world is affected by the first thing we see when we open our eyes. The musical score was very low-end, but it fit the film, and translated the emotion into something fluent that transcends the screen. This film also represents one of Wally Pfister's first jobs as a cinematographer, and believe me when I say that he's come a long way since then.

His work isn't bad, but it's a far cry from the breathtaking visuals he's used in The Prestige, and The Dark Knight. As for Christoper Nolan, he's always had a gift for both writing and directing. He's one of the greatest filmmakers of our time, and he's delivered plot structures that are simply revolutionary. Memento was one of the first. It's a tight knit, intimate and emotional story with several twists and turns. By the beginning you may know where Shelby's journey ends, but you have no idea where you're going. Nolan takes the audience on a ride, and that's exactly what movies should do.

4 out of 4 stars