Memento poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Stephen Tobolowsky, Mark Boone Jr. ... see more see more... , Harriet Sansom Harris , Callum Keith Rennie , Russ Fega , Jorja Fox , Thomas Lennon , Mark Boone Junior

A man is determined to find justice after the loss of a loved one, even though he is incapable of fully remembering the crime, in this offbeat thriller. Leonard (Guy Pearce) is a man who is struggling... read more read more... to put his life back together after the brutal rape and murder of his wife. But Leonard's problems are different from those of most people in his situation; he was beaten severely by the same man who killed his wife. The most significant manifestation of Leonard's injuries is that his short-term memory has been destroyed; he is incapable of retaining any new information, and must resort to copious note-taking and Polaroid photographs in order to keep track of what happens to him over the course of a day (he's even tattooed himself with a few crucial bits of information he can't get along without). Leonard retains awareness that his wife was brutally murdered, however, and he's convinced that the culprit still walks the streets. Leonard is obsessed with the notion of taking revenge against the man who has ruined his life, and he sets out to find him, getting help from Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss), who appears to be a sympathetic barmaid, and Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), who claims to be Leonard's friend, even though Leonard senses that he cannot be trusted. Writer/director Christopher Nolan adapted Memento from a short story by his brother Jonathan Nolan. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

93% liked it

320,699 ratings

Critics

92% liked it

154 critics

R, 1 hr. 56 min.

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Release Date: September 5, 2000

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: September 4, 2001

Get It:

Stats: 31,326 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

He was born in 1967 in Cambridgeshire, England. Memento Memento Memento Guy Pearce memento Memento Memento Memento Leonard Shelby Leonard" Focus Memento Memento John 'Teddy' Gammell Christopher Nolan: The Director of... Memento Guy Pearce Memento
Upload a Photo | View All Memento Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (31,326)

  • moonrivers
    April 15, 2012
    moonrivers
    A man with a short term memory dysfunction searches for ... his wife's murderer but ... its hard to remember all the specifics, all the details. The essence of memory ... very important, maybe too important to leave ... to memory. Another excellent Nolan film.
  • fb1463751009
    April 9, 2012
    fb1463751009
    "Inception"? You think that has a good ending? ...then you're dumb. "Memento"'s miles better than Christopher Nolan's disappointing "Inception"; its a grand puzzle, that once unravelled, turns out to almost be a masterpiece.

    "Memento" takes an intriguing premise and expounds on ... read moreit when its coupled with murder and mystery. The editing better be good if you're gonna be playing the events of the movie backwards, and I proudly say that Nolan did a breathtakingly fantastic job. A mesmerizingly innovative movie that takes a seemingly complicated style of presentation and delivers it so that audience members are given a puzzle easy enough to deal with but fascinating enough to be engrossing. "Memento" entrusts the viewers with its bold approach. And because of this backwards storytelling, it demands viewers to genuinely predict how the future events came about. Sensational. A one-of-a-kind. Unfortunately, character development somewhat takes a back seat during these events, the cinematography/camerawork is generic at best, and there's poor pacing during the first half of the movie, but the narrative of "Memento" is so commanding that it overpowers the flaws of this movie. After rewatching this film, I notice that though the movie has an ingenious premise with a fleshed out and cohesive approach to how to present its narrative, there are pacing issues in the first hour. Not a lot of developments occur, but its almost like the stage is being set up for a grand spectacle for the last few moments.
  • fb733768972
    March 24, 2012
    fb733768972
    This is probably the only film that has ever been told backwards in a way that gives you the details you are looking for at the beginning of a story, which is technically at the end of the film. While watching "Memento" I was paying close attention to little details, because I wo... read moreuld have been very upset if the writers didn't taker their time to piece everything together properly. I can honestly say that everything that went into the making of this film made it look like a masterpiece. There are a few more minor details I would have liked to see from Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss), but if that is my only complaint then I have no reason not to love this film. After Leonard's (Guy Pearce) wife is raped and murdered he must piece together the evidence he has through the pictures and notes that he has taken in order to get revenge. The only problem this that he suffered from short term memory loss after being knocked unconscious on the scene of his wife's death. This film represents (on a stand alone basis) what filmmaking truly is and should be. The cinematography is very simple, yet engaging, the acting is superb, and of course, the story, even though it may be simple, is told in such a complex way that it just feels like a story I have never seen before. "Memento" is a masterpiece!
  • MrMarakai
    March 15, 2012
    MrMarakai
    Before his foray into the adventures of the Caped Crusader with "Batman Begins", "The Dark Knight" and "The Dark Knight Rises" or even his mind-bending Science fiction actioner "Inception", director Christopher Nolan delivered this independent, teasingly constructed, psychologica... read morel thriller in 2000. It was based on an original idea by his brother Jonathan and was only his second feature - after his debut "Following" in 1998. It also marked the emergence of a brilliant directorial talent.
    Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) is a man who suffers from short term amnesia. He can't make new memories. The last memory he has, is of his wife... dying. Leonard knows one thing; his wife was murdered. He doesn't know by whom though and sets out to find her killer, with his condition causing an obvious problem. So as not to forget any information he comes across, it has to be taken, either in photograph or tattooed to his body. Every waking day he has, is a fresh start and a fresh investigation with people manipulating him along the way. Or is he manipulating his own mind...?
    With the arrival of Quentin Tarantino in the early 90's and his films "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction", it became cool again, to deliver films in different time frames and to manipulate the chronology of the narrative. Tarantino was by no means the first, but he influenced a new generation of filmmakers. There was an abundance of low-budget crime thrillers that attempted to emulate his success. It wasn't until Christopher Nolan delivered this though, that even Tarantino had been surpassed.
    According to Nolan, the best place to start his story, is at the end. Who am I to question that? Who am I to question one the finest independant films to cross across in years? He does indeed start at the end of the film, working his way back to the beginning and taking you through one of the most jaw dropping and confusing films I've ever seen... and I've seen a lot. Straight away, we know how this story plays out but the skill is in finding out why.
    Not only is the narrative manipulated but the most impressive thing about this, is how we participate in the main characters frame of mind. He is us, as we try to decipher an elaborate murder mystery, in reverse order. If your not carefully listening or observing, this will leave you miles behind. Rarely does a film demand such unconditional attention and still have you scratching your head. It's not only the accomplished direction or the vice-like script that's impresses though. Guy Pearce's central performance is also marvellous. He displays the perfect amount of vacantness, unsure of himself and others, with glimmers of paranoia and despair. Without a performance to capture this characters bewilderment, it wouldn't have worked as well as it does.
    The tag-line for this was... "Some memories are best forgotten". The same can't be said for this film. It won't allow you to forget it. An absolutely gripping and perplexing modern noir from Nolan and one of the finest and most orginal films for a very long time.
  • FrizzDrop
    February 5, 2012
    FrizzDrop
    A film with a sporadic plot, sideways actions of a group of characters whose motives are unclear, and a range of interesting ensuing clues and concerns that makes up this disjointed venture from masterful director and writer Christopher Nolan. The film works in the same vein as o... read morether mind bending films, using the ending of the film as the beginning. That doesn't seem like a compelling pretense in classic marginal noirs with the figure being a tortured martyr who is only out for revenge, and sees his life as inconsequential in the process. The film follows a man who suffers from having short term memory loss, which means he can't make any new memories and consequently has his memory swiped at the sound of something being slammed, crashes, gun fire, or simply when he wakes up. Though he cannot remember what has happened since his wife's death, and his subsequent injury, he holds the same emotional response as the day she died. Therefore he treads forcefully, thinking of himself as the voyeur of the criminal element and the vigilante who will bring his wife's killer to justice. The people around him are either piteous of his disorder, or entertained by the hoops they make him jump through. It's a jumble of psychoanalytical data for him, as he marks himself in permanent ink, and goes through the repetitive motions to remember the anger, to find a purpose and meaning to his life other than simply existing. The plot device that Nolan first used in his short film Following (1998) and then cultivated for this perfect venue is at times obsessively annoying, all because you have to pay attention, and not let your mind wander like you can in shorter, less impressive films. What makes this extraordinary is the ending, which is almost flippant with its reveal of the true plot, the real reason he does what he does. Without telling you what it is I can safely say that it changes the way we watch film noir, and is so complicated and creative no one can truly give it away with abject certainty. It's cunning and puzzling, but certainly worth switching your brain on for.
  • garyX
    December 6, 2011
    garyX
    An ex insurance investigator with a medical condition that leaves him with no short term memory is hunting the killer of his wife with the aid of notes left to himself in the form of tattoos all over his body. Christopher Nolan's big budget debut is a stunningly original twist on... read more the detective movie formula, telling the story of a man's quest for vengeance in reverse chronological order. This sounds like a very simple, almost obvious idea, but it is done with such beautifully engineered intelligence and subtlety that it keeps you guessing not only til the end of the film, but also til the end of each scene as you, along with Guy Pearce's obsessive investigator, try to link each jigsaw puzzle piece of the story together. It's one of those films that is ironically unforgettable, and my only wish is that I could erase MY memory and watch it for the first time again and again. Truly unique and quite, quite brilliant.
  • FilmFanatik
    November 25, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    Christopher Nolan has rarely ever let me down, and I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of his work film-by-film. Even though he'd had some minor success with his first feature film Following, Memento is the one that really put him on the map of filmmakers to keep an eye on. Told... read more simultaneously both forwards and backwards, the structure and conclusion is meticulously well-crafted that it has to be seen to be believed. Beautifully shot and tremendously well-edited, as well as dynamite performances from both Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss, this is absolutely one of all-time favorite films. I find it endlessly inspiring and riveting to watch.
  • fb1033186916
    November 4, 2011
    fb1033186916
    A rare piece of work that tackles the concept of memory loss in a non-linear narrative manner, and what's great about it is that it actually works. Memento is cleverly plotted in every angle. Nolan gives you time to think, to slowly put everything back into pieces and to enjoy it... read more all at the same time. A recommend to watch to those who want a piece of action and intellectual play while watching.
  • 76Majikat
    November 3, 2011
    76Majikat
    [Rewatch]

    Having watched this film numerous times, it still never fails to impress. Iconic for it's unique back to front storytelling and personal investigation into forgotten clues, this film has Murder, Mystery and Suspense, enjoyable performances by Guy Pearc and Joe Pantoli... read moreano and is a film like no other.
  • fb729949618
    November 1, 2011
    fb729949618
    I've said this a million times, but Christopher Nolan is a genius! This is one of the most brilliant scripts I've ever seen put onto film. It's incredible how a story can be told backwards and still build more suspense than a film told in chronological order. A true masterpiece, ... read morethere was nothing I didn't like about it. Bravo.

View All Memento Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
September 27, 2011
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

More a puzzle than a meaningful story, it reminds me of how Edmund Wilson compared reading a mystery to eagerly unpacking a box of excelsior, only to find a few rusty nails at the bottom. Full Review

Chris Nashawaty
February 17, 2011
Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly

Memento is one of those jigsaw puzzles whose pieces snap together more tightly with each viewing. Fueling it all is a performance by Guy Pearce that's as indelible as the tattoo ink covering his body. Full Review

Andrew Sarris
April 27, 2007
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

I am neither upset nor disturbed by Memento , only vaguely dissatisfied. I simply don't buy Jonathan Nolan's thesis that audiences know all the tropes and tricks of crime thrillers backward and forward. Full Review

Peter Rainer
September 26, 2002
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine

It's all pretty confusing, but then again, so were many of the classic film noirs. Full Review

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
September 7, 2001
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Christopher Nolan's extraordinary film is a brainteaser and a heartbreaker. Full Review

Roger Ebert
April 13, 2001
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

A diabolical and absorbing experience. Full Review

Desson Thomson
April 12, 2001
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Memento doesn't just draw you into a dramatic mystery, it makes you aware of human mystery. And that's food for thought and entertainment. Full Review

Rita Kempley
April 12, 2001
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

Challenge all viewers and gives them plenty to ponder after the credits roll, the lights go out and they reach the parking lot. Full Review

Mark Caro
April 12, 2001
Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune

Memento is a thriller for people who are sick of thrillers, a puzzle movie in which the puzzle is actually worth the time and effort to solve. Full Review

Stanley Kauffmann
April 11, 2001
Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic

Nolan uses the structure simply as a gimmick to refresh a stale story of revenge, crime, sex, a film noir that never gets any darker than gris.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Machinist
    The Machinist (85%)
  • Shutter Island
    Shutter Island (94%)
  • Following
    Following (91%)
  • Open Your Eyes (Abre los ojos) (Permanent Midnight)
    Open Your Eyes (Abre los ojos) (Permanent Mid... (67%)

More Movies like Memento

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Natalie: What's the last thing that you do remember?
    • Leonard: My wife...
    • Natalie: That's sweet.
    • Leonard: I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning, even if I can't remember them. I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world's still there. Do I believe the world's still there? Is it still out there? Yeah. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I'm no different. Now...where was I?
    • Leonard: [voiceover] So where are you? You're in some motel room. You just - you just wake up and you're in - in a motel room. There's the key. It feels like maybe it's just the first time you've been there, but perhaps you've been there for a week, three months. It's - it's kind of hard to say. I don't - I don't know. It's just an anonymous room.
    • Leonard: Let's see, where was I...
    • Leonard Shelby: Can't remember to forget you.
    • Leonard: I don't feel drunk.
Submit a Fact | View All

Memento : Watch Free on TV

Memento Trivia

  • Carrie Ann Moss and Joe Pantoliano have starred together in The Matrix and which other film?  Answer »
  • In this movie i need to tattoo important tips on my body in order to find my wife´s killer because i can´t retain any memory of a situaton that happened a few minutes ago, so i´m  Answer »
  • Carrie-Anne Moss & Joe Pantoliano both star in the film Memento, what other film do they have in common?  Answer »
  • What film is this quote from: "I meet Sammy through work. Insurance. I was an investagator. I'd investigate the claims to see which ones were phony. I had to see through people's bullsh*t. It was useful experience, 'cause now it's my life."   Answer »
More Memento Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Memento Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Memento to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

TehFonz Skin by TehFonz
2589 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins