Guy Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, a former San Francisco insurance agent who has a bit of a problem: he has no short-term memory. If he doesn't take a picture or jot down a note- be it on paper or a tattoo - of someone or something, chances are that he is going to forget about it five to ten minutes later. It makes Leonard's day-to-day life a bit of a chore, but it makes his attempts to find the person who raped and murdered his wife almost impossible (he developed his memory problem as a result of being hit from behind by his wife's killer). He doesn't have too much to go on, and the two people that might be able to help him, a guy named Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) and a barmaid named Natalie (Carrie Anne-Moss), may actually have had something to do with Leonard's wife's demise.

Any film that begins its story at the end and proceeds to tell it backwards is just asking for trouble. It is a gimmick, one that can fall apart in an instant. However, Christopher Nolan, working from his brother Jonathan's short story, defies those problems and sucks the viewer into Leonard's world, keeping us riveted as each section unfolds. I found the ending (or should I say, beginning?) to be a bit overwhelming at first thanks to all the information that is thrown at us at once. But once you have time to process it all, not to mention take in a second viewing (which I recommend doing), you will find yourself with an overall sense of satisfaction that there are still people out there who can make thrillers with a degree of cleverness, intelligence and fun.

Guy Pearce, who showed his wide range of diversity and acting talent in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and LA Confidential (not to mention Neighbours, the Aussie soap from which he, Russell Crowe and Kylie Minogue all graduated), turns in another impressive, multi-layered turn as Leonard, a man looking for revenge while at the same time trying to find out who he is and what he has become. Joe Pantoliano and Carrie-Anne Moss are also first rate as the people Leonard may or may not be able to trust.

Memento, which played in European cinemas late last year (and is due on home video in the UK in April), could not have arrived at American cinemas at a more perfect time. In a desert of incredibly moronic movies aimed at the under 25 set - both in age and IQ - this intelligent, fun thriller for adults is a must see at least once, if not twice.

  share with:  Facebook | Digg | other sites