"Memento," a golden child from the recent Sundance Film Festival, has the makings of an early-spring sleeper hit.
Guy Pearce ("L.A. Confidential") plays Leonard Shelby, a former insurance investigator afflicted by a rare form of amnesia that wipes out his short-term memory. Despite his condition, Shelby is out to avenge the murder of his wife. He relies on paper scraps and Polaroids to fill the gaps in his daily experiences and uses chest tattoos to remember the really important stuff. Each morning his mirror image greets him with notes like "wash ears," "lift toilet seat," and "continue hunting the rat bastard who murdered your wife." For Shelby, brevity is a necessity.
Pearce is joined by Carrie-Anne Moss ("The Matrix") and Joe Pantoliano (also of "The Matrix"), who both play characters of questionable loyalty.
What's most intriguing about "Memento" is its non-linear storytelling. The plot unwinds in reverse, but the segments are revealed through Shelby's screwy perspective, so the film doesn't back-up along a straight line. Early reviews posted at Coming Attractions say the unusual format requires thought and attention from the audience. Fans of time tweaking will be tickled but strict proponents of cinematic passivity should pass on "Memento."
"Memento" has already been released in Europe (Empire Online has a review), but its U.S. release will occur throughout March.
Posted: 02/07/01
