Memento

Newmarket Films | Release Date: March 16, 2001

8.9	USER SCORE Universal acclaim based on 1535 Ratings

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borderlinefilmsFeb 5, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. fleeting and corruptible

I remember thinking it was brilliant but had to be sure. I watched it again to study the gimmick. And again in an effort to make sense out of the story. It was rather dense and more complicated than it needed to be, like all Nolan's stuff. But it wasn't as messy and convoluted as Insomnia and his TDK trilogy, or as intellectually pretentious as The Prestige and Inception. Like all his subsequent movies, it was cluttered with unnecessary garbage (the interspersed black and white filler scenes of the protagonist going stir-crazy in the motel room).
It wasn't a gratuitous gimmick. The reverse sequencing left the viewer as memory-challenged as the protagonist. Afterwards, it prompts us to question the reliability of our own memories. And to wonder. Who are we without our memories? The fragmented, backsliding narrative was a perfectly suitable technique for the story and characters at hand. Nolan was a young, prodigious filmmaker with a great future ahead of him (or was it behind him?).
Now, looking back after watching everything else this overpraised and overvalued director has made, I believe the reverse sequencing in Memento came as an afterthought. An idea devised in the editing room after it was shot. A decision made after a disappointing first cut, as a way to inject more mystery and confusion into an unexceptional crime thriller. A fortuitous and tricky gimmick that launched a career.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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SEROJApr 23, 2015

Personal opinion... overrated! Im a huge fan of Chris Nolan but i think Memento really had its flaws and was diffenitely not a full 10... my PERSONAL score for it is 4/10 and i don't think you're going to hate it.. its just my personal score

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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adamSv94Feb 25, 2013

Just like "The Prestige", Christopher Nolan's "Memento" offers a very satisfying and unpredictable ending but the problem with "Memento" is that we have to watch about 90 minutes of nonsense in order to reach the last 20 minutes. This movieJust like "The Prestige", Christopher Nolan's "Memento" offers a very satisfying and unpredictable ending but the problem with "Memento" is that we have to watch about 90 minutes of nonsense in order to reach the last 20 minutes. This movie was a complete drag and a disappoinment after having heard so much good about it.… Expand

1 of 9 users found this helpful18

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thelordoffilmAug 13, 2010

Memento is not the first film by Christopher Nolan but itâ

0 of 10 users found this helpful010

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Toby023May 27, 2011

I normally love Christopher Nolan films but memento was the worst film he has made in my opinion. Instead of his usual brilliance I found memento to be mediocre. But I did like the way that all the characters were reviled to be connected andI normally love Christopher Nolan films but memento was the worst film he has made in my opinion. Instead of his usual brilliance I found memento to be mediocre. But I did like the way that all the characters were reviled to be connected and not as they seem at the end. This however does not make up for the fact that there is no attachment between the viewer and the characters by the end of the film leaving the viewer unsatisfied and thinking the story could have been made a much shorter length.… Expand

0 of 9 users found this helpful09

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RegOzApr 8, 2015

I truly think this movie is overrated. Probably because of its similarity with independent films, that are now being perceived -often rightfully- as intelligent, sophisticated, arty, and fashionable. The true is that, Memento is not a badI truly think this movie is overrated. Probably because of its similarity with independent films, that are now being perceived -often rightfully- as intelligent, sophisticated, arty, and fashionable. The true is that, Memento is not a bad movie but is not an excellent movie either. I believe that much of Memento's popularity, is due to its so-called complexity; yet, Memento is not complex, but convoluted and at times. That is precisely why it soon becomes redundant and monotonous. The script is original, and there are a few interesting twists, but the movie lacks substance and depth. Furthermore, as someone already mentioned, since the characters are not well developed, they feel lifeless and emotionless, so we never connect wit them. Memento's style is similar to that of The Machinist's, but while in The Machinist there are many sub-plots that draw the attention to both inner and outer conflicts, in Memento the plot is basic and there is nothing really thrilling on it apart from a medical condition. I believe Momento is a movie that many seek to enjoy mainly because of its uniqueness, but when carefully analysed, Memento reveals many flaws on its core. Originality is not enough to build an insightful, touching, intelligent, and well elaborated argument with a powerful message, but Memento is shallow; that is precisely why Memento is not brilliant but just slightly above average in its uniqueness.… Expand

0 of 10 users found this helpful010

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beingryanjudeAug 28, 2014

Memento is an overly fractured, complex thriller. Nolan gives, what he believes, enough evidence to the audience to allow us to create our own interpretation of the happenings.

0 of 8 users found this helpful08

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SpangleMar 30, 2014

I used to hate this film, but after watching it again, that changed. Initially, I hated because of the way the story was told. While it is still aggravating to me the way the story progresses then jumps back and it really hinders my enjoymentI used to hate this film, but after watching it again, that changed. Initially, I hated because of the way the story was told. While it is still aggravating to me the way the story progresses then jumps back and it really hinders my enjoyment of the film, I appreciate it a lot more. Memento is brilliantly made by Christopher Nolan and Guy Pearce is great in the lead role. As we go back in time further and further, more of the picture becomes clear and it leads to many questions about who Leonard Shelby truly is and what actually went down. This really shows how memories can deceive you and, heck, even your own perceptions can deceive you

On the negative side, again, the way the story is told is aggravating. While I understand the purpose and am fine with backtracking, the aggravating part is when we backtrack and then it leads to something we already saw before. It just feels repetitive and overall, while it no longer kills it for me, it is still a major knock I have against this one.… Expand

0 of 10 users found this helpful010

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ExKingMay 25, 2013

Christopher Nolan is my all time favorite director i enjoy all his movies i enjoy the fact that his movies are anything other than linear because it's make you think about it and connect the scenes together and make more sense if you watchChristopher Nolan is my all time favorite director i enjoy all his movies i enjoy the fact that his movies are anything other than linear because it's make you think about it and connect the scenes together and make more sense if you watch the movie again,
however i think that Nolan took it too far with this one cause in order for a Christopher Nolan movie to be great you have to enjoy each and every scene and have no idea what's next THAT'S ALL NOLAN MOVIES
but with Memento the curiosity is not about the next scene it's about when the movie ends and that's sad because when the level of mystery is 100% and everything don't make any sense you kinda loss interests in the movie and i know some people are impressed by the end because there is no end
but i find it a waste of 2 hours movie and yeah i didn't find Guy Pearce as a good actor in this one.
after all that being said i don't think the movie is bad i just didn't like it.… Expand

0 of 10 users found this helpful010

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CameraBounceGodFeb 23, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ...i know this hurts but i give it a mixed.i love watching guy pierce for some reason, don't know what kind of guy that makes me..other than a good ending and Cypher and Trinity all i have to say is that i love how trinity and pierce are the same for surreal reasons .I want everyone to know how once again I didn't sit through it at all....still its nice to think of a cool looking guy who has trouble remembering routinely and has a system for it......reminds me almost of seeing the future.....-JRA… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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All_ButTrU4Oct 9, 2022

It's unique premise and ambitious direction make it admirable but it doesn't become impressive or intriguing beyond it's dizzying premise

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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AgentLviJul 7, 2023

not bad movie, but not good either. The story is really miss & match, visual is decent, and the voice is also decent

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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