Memento (2000)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Stars: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano
Runtime: 113 minutes

Synopsis: A man with short-term memory loss attempts to track down his wife's murderer.

Performances: 8/10
Screenplay: 9/10
Editing: 10/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Verdict: Whenever someone is asked what their favorite Christopher Nolan movie is, the answer provided can rarely be anticipated. The English filmmaker's made many fan favorites over the years, but "Memento" will always have a special place in my heart. To me, it perfectly combines innovative storytelling and indie filmmaking and manages to subvert all expectations without relying on gimmicks or illusions of grandeur.

What makes "Memento" such an intriguing watch is the unique way in which the events are presented. The opening scene acts as the story's conclusion and the final one acts as its beginning (or rather middle?), a very fitting way of narrating a revenge tale in which the protagonist suffers from short-term memory loss. In other words, it's told in reverse, with twists and turns at every corner. But other than being a great psychological thriller elevated by clean editing, nuanced performances, and a fantastic score, it's also a very challenging narrative about deception, memories, and how one can manipulate them to forge their reality. As for issues, a recurring one I find in Nolan's work is the dialogue which can sometimes come off as a little forced, making the characters much less three-dimensional. This issue can still be found in "Memento", but never to the point of ridiculousness. Narration and exposition are also issues I usually condemn in movies, especially when they're going for a more brainy approach, but in the case of this particular film, they felt both necessary and natural for the overall story to work.

To me, "Memento" is easily Nolan's most ambitious work, even if it doesn't have the budget of some of his other projects. It's a very character-centric revenge tale that explores the human condition in a very unique manner and despite it being one of his earlier films, I consider it to be one of his more mature ones. A definite must in my books. 

FINAL GRADE: 9/10