| Memento [Region 2] | ![Memento [Region 2]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21XAR4C82WL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Christopher Nolan
Actors: Guy Pearce, Carrie-anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior, Russ Fega
Category: DVD
Buy New: $70.99
New (1) Used (2) from $45.87
Avg. Customer Rating:  911 reviews
Format: Pal
Language: German (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Running Time: 113
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 0332726
EAN: 4030521327269
ASIN: B00005UMYY
Theatrical Release Date: 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com essential video
Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) and Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix) shine in this absolute stunner of a movie. Memento combines a bold, mind-bending script with compelling action and virtuoso performances. Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, hunting down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The problem is that "the incident" that robbed Leonard of his wife also stole his ability to make new memories. Unable to retain a location, a face, or a new clue on his own, Leonard continues his search with the help of notes, Polaroids, and even homemade tattoos for vital information. Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time, and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together. Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humor in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players, and the movie is all but stolen from him by Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. --Ali Davis
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| Customer Reviews: Read 906 more reviews...
 What A Ride... November 8, 2008
Definitely strange, interesting and fun!!! Very unique idea for a film!!!
This movie is for the "COMPLEX THINKER" or the "DYSLEXIC MIND" ...few can put this movie together in less than 2 or 3 viewings. This film literally runs forward from the end of the movie yet backwards at the same time; adding supposed real-time moments where the main character is on the phone or reminiscing about things he remembers before his assault.
Strangely enough, I got this movie the first time viewing it!! Hm?
To fully get this award winning "never been done before" storyline you'll quickly discover that you're viewing the movie in reverse while the chapter's (scene's) are running forward... maybe better said as, "The last scene/end of the movie is run forward first as the movie starts - then things reverse so you start at the beginning of each prior scene (that you haven't seen yet) watch it to it's end - arriving at the last (prior) scene's start and so on"!!!
Got that?
Then if that wasn't enough you'll soon discover that this is a movie about a man who's short term memory has been lost (brain trauma) by an assault on him and his wife. His wife is apparently killed and he can only remember up to that moment (birth until trauma). New memories can never be formed and since he's decided to solve his wife's murder and his assault he has to write himself notes and other various extreme things so as to remember what he has discovered from day to day ...or is it month to month? ...year to year??
The day after this movie, if you aren't the thinker type you're brain will definitely hurt!!!
A Deceptive Thriller November 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
With his second feature film, director Christopher Nolan (Following) created a stunning thriller. Not only is Memento an incredible accomplishment as a film, but also an impressive feat for a relatively new filmmaker. The film's screenplay, which was written by Nolan and was inspired by his brother Jonathan's short story, is nothing short of brilliant. The story taps the best ideas from both classic noir and detective films of the late 1940s, as well as more contemporary psychological suspense films, and the result is a film, which is in essence a neo-noir/thriller. Skillfully, Christopher Nolan avoids the all-too-familiar pitfalls of the two genres while acknowledging their inherent strengths. Rich in atmosphere and character, Memento is a modern classic and a prime example of using an intricate narrative to heighten a story's impact.
Ever since his wife was assaulted, Leonard Shelby (marvelously portrayed by Guy Pearce) has suffered from a rare disorder. His mind is incapable of creating new memories, so everything he has experienced since the attack he forgets in a matter of minutes. Left with little to live for, Leonard vows that he will avenge his wife... but this proves to be difficult without his short-term memory. Leonard relies on mementos (lists, notes, photographs, and even tattoos) to aid him in his search for the killer, but he is also forced to trust strangers. Among those that he confides in are Teddy (played by Joe Pantoliano, with an irritating smirk) a sarcastic snitch with connections on both sides of the law and Natalie (played by Carrie-Anne Moss, who straddles the line between sympathetic victim and sadistic seductress), the girlfriend of a missing drug dealer. As Leonard follows the clues it becomes apparent that the people he surround himself with are not what he perceived them to be. They are either exploiting his disability for their own gain or manipulating him to keep him from the shocking truth about his wife's death and the identity of her killer. Leonard realizes that he can trust no one, not even himself.
When Memento was released, it was hailed as a visionary piece of filmmaking and it's clear that the greatest star of the film is its story, which unfolds in a series of segments shown in reversed chronological order. This method, which might have spoiled the ending in any other film, is miraculous in that it places the story's climax in the beginning of the film and then allows the audience to see what events lead up to that final act. In recent years many filmmakers have played with viewers' expectations and intentionally subverted those expectations, leading to mixed results. Often filmmakers that embrace such an unorthodox narrative to tell a story do so to individualize their films, but if their films had were to be edited into a more typical narrative structure, then they would lose their originality. Not so with Memento. Its narrative isn't just a manipulative gimmick to keep audiences interested. The story almost requires this dyslexic treatment so that viewers will gain greater insight into the protagonist's dilemma. Another unique aspect is its psychological inner workings, which suggests many things about the nature of corruption and revenge. If one were capable of forgetting their past transgressions, are they then purified by their ignorance of those transgressions or are they forever condemned to suffer the consequences of their actions... again... and again... and again? Do our memories determine who we are or does our character shape our memories to suit our needs? If only we knew; if only we could remember.
Also recommended:
Double Indemnity
Dark Passage
Psycho
Don't Look Now
Angel Heart
Reservoir Dogs
The Usual Suspects
Bound
Fight Club
 Not as confusing as everyone says it is. October 24, 2008
A lot of reviewers have remarked that the movie is confusing because it works backwards. Well, it does work backwards, but it's not confusing if you pay attention and don't talk all the way through it. If you really have trouble, just watch it all the way through again. It's a really good movie, and they do a good job of making everything as clear to you as it is to the main character, Leonard. The problem is... Leonard has short-term memory loss, so we see things from his viewpoint: bits and pieces, flashes of memory, etc. His life is confusing and hard for him to follow at times. If the movie were linear, it would be boring. The "suprise" and the "end" is really more like a suprise beginning, and... well, we just couldn't have had that twist if we'd have known what was going on all along.
I bought the standard edition because a lot of people said the deluxe edition was cheaply assembled and over-priced.
Great Movie! October 13, 2008
This film takes a certain level of attention and thought to watch. Some might find this as a negative. However, this is a great movie with an ending that one will never see coming. I recommend it to most anyone.
A Fantastic Film September 6, 2008
I see that some reviewers have given away a bit more of the story than I would have, but this does save me the trouble of recapping anything.
I'll just say that it's every bit the "instant classic thriller" promised on the DVD cover, that it's both full of action and mentally stimulating, and that I will watch it again, which I've never said about a "thriller" before. I'm also looking forward to watching the bonus DVD once I've let a little time pass, just to satisfy my curiosity.
Oh yeah, and notice how the majority of us are giving this 5-star reviews. There's a reason we do that.
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