Memento (2000)

USA; 113min

Mystery, Thriller

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writers: Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan ("Memento Mori")

Stars: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano

Nolan brothers worked on Memento for years. In same time Jonathan worked on his short story Memento Mori while Christopher worked on screenplay for the film. Although they were constantly exchanging notes and working on the same story there are big differences between the movie and the book. As Jonathan's short story was released after the film, the screenplay is considered original.

Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a ex-insurance investigator, lost his ability of creating new long-term memories after he and his wife were attacked in their home. In other words, he can't remember more than few minutes. Convinced that his wife was killed in the same attack and that police didn't caught the killer he goes into retaliatory search for certain John G. guided by photographs, notes, maps and tattoos that he leaves for himself. 

Key tattoo is the one on his left hand, 'Remember Sammy Jankis'. While working for the insurance company Leonard met Sammy Jankis (Stephen Tobolowsky) who, just like Leonard later, lost the ability to create new long-term memories. That tattoo constantly reminds Leonard on the condition that he has and also the story of Sammy is crucial in characterization of Leonard. We learn about Sammy's story in black and white, chronological, parts of movie in which Leonard takes three phone calls in his motel room. 

The other part of the film, the one in color, begins from chronologically last event and moves backwards scene-by-scene until the point where it connects with the black and white part. The film begins with Leonard killing Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), a policeman who helps Leonard in meeting his retaliatory impulses but with questionable motives. Leonard also gets help from Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) who was dragged into the whole story by Teddy's using of Leonard for his own crooked plans. It's impossible to say more about characters or plot without revealing important details.

The main reason for reverse chronology is an attempt to create empathy for Leonard. In that way viewers have no idea what was going on before, just like Leonard. By that, relatively simple plot gets to be very complicated and by that whole movie leaves much stronger impression. Far from that the Memento would be a bad movie with completely linear story, just that element of reverse chronology combined with the condition of the main character takes this film to a cult level. Leonard is extremely complicated character who doesn't know what kind of person he became nor what he done and he manipulates with his own memories. Although plot provokes sympathy for him throughout the film it is questionable how much he deserves it.

The original idea was Brad Pitt as Leonard and he was extremely interested in the role, but due to other projects did not had time to participate in this one. After Pitt's refusal Nolan decided not to take famous actors due to limited budget so in the end the choice fell on Guy Pearce who is today best known to many people as Leonard Shelby from Memento. Pantoliano and Moss are also excellent, and overall performance is almost flawless. 

Nolan decided to take a big directing challenge of two chronologically opposite stories in his second film and except for the courage and the idea he must be applaud for great directing success. Although reverse chronology is not something original it is extremely difficult as we see from very small number of successful movies with that element.

Braća Nolan su ideju o Mementu razvijali godinama. Istodobno je Jonathan pisao svoju kratku priću Memento Mori, a Christopher scenarij za film. Iako su konstantno izmjenjivali bilješke i radili na istoj prići postoje veće razlike između filma i knjige. S obzirom da je Jonathanova kratkra priča izdana nakon izlaska filma, scenarij se Memento se smatra originalnim.

Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), bivši istražitelj za osiguravajuću kuću, nakon napada u svojoj kuću izgubi mogućnost dugoročnog pamčenja novih siječanja, tj. jedino čega se sijeća nakon napada je posljednjih 10-ak minuta. Uvjeren da mu je žena poginula u istom napadu i da policija nije ulovila počinitelja kreće u osvetničku potragu za stanovitim John G.-em vođen fotografijama, porukama, kartama i tetovažama koje sam sebi ostavlja.

Ključna tetovaža je ona na lijevoj šaci, 'Remember Sammy Jankis'. Dok je radio za osiguravajuću kući Leonard se susreo sa stanovitim Sammy Jankisem (Stephen Tobolowsky) koji je, kao i Leonard kasnije, izgubio mogućnost stvaranja novih dugoročnih sjećanja. Ta tetovaža konstanto Leonarda podsiječa u kakvom je stanju, a priča o Sammyu je ključna u konačnoj karakterizaciji Leonarda. Tu priču saznajemo u crno-bijelim, kronološki poredanim dijelovima filma u kojima Leonard vodi tri različita telefonska razgovora u svojoj motelskoj sobi.

Drugi dio filma, onaj u boji, započinje kronološki posljednjim događajem te kreće unatrag scenu po scenu sve do trenutka kada se spaja sa crno bijelim dijelom. Film započinje Leonardovim ubojstvom Teddya (Joe Pantoliano), policajca koji iz višestrukih motiva pomaže Leonardu u zadovoljenju svojih osvetničkih poriva. Također mu sa sličnim opisom pomaže i Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) koja je na neugodan način uvućena u cijelu priču. Detaljnije u radnju i likove bez otkrivanja bitnih detalja je nemoguće.

Glavni razlog kronološki obrnute priče je pokušaj stvaranja empatije prema Leonardu, jer jednako kako on nije svjestan ikakvih prijašnjih događaja tako nisu ni gledatelji. Samim time se i relativno jednostavna radnja zakomplicirava i tako ostvaruje daleko bolji dojam. Daleko od toga da bi Memento sa potpuno linearnom radnjom bio loš, ali baš taj element kronološki obrnute radnje u kombinaciji za stanjem glavnog lika podiže ovaj film na razinu posebnosti koja mu osigurava kultni status. Sam Leonard je izrazito kompliciran lik koji u principu ni sam sebe ne poznaje te samim sobom manipulira, te iako izaziva empatiju gotovo tijekom cijelog filma upitno je koliko ju zaslužuje.

Originalna zamisao je bila da Leonarda utjelovi Brad Pitt koji je bio iznimno zainteresiran za ulogu, ali zbog drugih projekata nije stigao sudjelovati u ovome. Nakon Pittove odbijenice Nolani su odlučili uzeti ne prepoznate glumce zbog ograničenog budžeta pa je u konačnici izbor pao na Guy Pearce koji je i danas mnogima najpoznatiji baš kao Leonard Shelby. Pantoliano i Moss su također izvrsni, te općenito izvedba gotovo da i nema mana.

Nolan se odlučio na režiserski izazov sa dvije kronološki obrnute radnje i to u svom tek drugom filmu i osim na hrabrosti i ideji treba mu čestitati i na uspješnoj izvedbi. Iako kronološki obrnuta radnja nije originalan element, teško je izvediv i kompliciran te o tome dovoljno govori mala brojka takvih uspješnih filmova.