Memento

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1:21

Memento

R

2000

1h 56m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

186 Reviews

94%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Leonard (Guy Pearce) is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty, however, of locating his wife's killer is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why.

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Critics Consensus

Christopher Nolan skillfully guides the audience through Memento's fractured narrative, seeping his film in existential dread.

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Victoria Luxford

BBC.com

08/11/2023

5/5

Very complex detective thriller. Guy Pearce (leads) a terrific cast alongside Carrie Anne Moss. If you want to see the beginnings of how Nolan became such a big director, this is one to watch.

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Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

04/10/2020

5/5

Think of all the ways that a linear film structure stabilizes us - the cause and effect chain of events. But Memento is about a character completely destabilized, so Nolan destabilizes us accordingly in a way maybe no other movie has.

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Joshua Rothkopf

In These Times

03/16/2020

Memento would only be half as fun with only one gimmick or the other. Instead, the backward storytelling and the frozen man make for a wonderful pair, combining into something far more redemptive than it sounds.

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Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez

Tom & Lorenzo

Jun 16

The beauty of director and screenwriter Nolan’s story is that it forces the viewer to reconsider what they’ve just seen constantly, throughout the movie. The ending is the beginning and the beginning is the ending.

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Dan DiNicola

The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

04/30/2024

A

Memento isn't an easy film, but it gives viewers plenty to ponder. And Pearce's startling performance is unforgettable.

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Akhil Arora

AkhilArora.com

10/17/2023

Memento places you in the mind of the protagonist in a fascinating way—by running it in reverse, you only know as much as the protagonist remembers—and that constantly makes you question what you’ve been told and what you see next.

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Arjan S

@monk3y 2d

Go into this film blind. An amazing film from Christopher Nolan. Brilliantly told in reverse, it can be confusing at first, but it’s around halfway when you begin to understand what is really going on, and it really has an amazing twist in the end.

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Poncho J

@BoyBavvang 3d

Cool movie, with a very Nolan Ending

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matthias S

@Thescreenasvor 3d

Rewatching **Memento** only confirmed how incredibly talented Christopher Nolan is as a writer. The first viewing is almost impossible to beat because every twist hits so hard, and discovering the story alongside Leonard is what makes the experience unforgettable. Knowing the reveals takes away some of that mystery, so it naturally didn't have the same impact this time, which is why I'm settling on **3.5 stars**. That said, the screenplay is still an absolute masterclass. Every scene, clue and reveal is carefully crafted, proving why I admire Nolan's writing even more than his directing. You can already see the filmmaker he would become. If you've never seen *Memento*, watch it without knowing anything. I'd love to experience it for the first time all over again.

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Will R

@RT59412112 Jul 22

A brilliantly complex and flawlessly executed detective thriller. Memento is easily one of Nolan’s best films and one of the best of the 21 century. Guy Pearce gives an amazing performance and is a big reason for why this film is as good as it is. The very unique order of events could’ve been confusing or felt unneeded but it is really executed to perfection and has you on the edge of your seat as you get more and more pieces of the puzzle. This is an absolutely flawless film that has one of the best twist endings I’ve ever seen. 10/10

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bryant G

@leaime Jul 20

story began in the end with middle to end Nolan came with another banger watched this about seven years ago a must watch movie!

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Nicholas P

@RT88054743 Jul 19

Excellent storytelling

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Christopher Nolan

Director

Guy Pearce

Leonard Shelby

Carrie-Anne Moss

Natalie

Joe Pantoliano

Teddy

Mark Boone Junior

Burt

Stephen Tobolowsky

Sammy

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Memento: Trailer 1

1:21

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Synopsis

Leonard (Guy Pearce) is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty, however, of locating his wife's killer is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why.

Director: Christopher Nolan
Producer: Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd
Screenwriter: Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan
Distributor: Newmarket Film Group
Production Co: Team Todd, I Remember Productions, Llc, Newmarket Capital Group
Rating: R (Language|Drug Content|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 5, 2000, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.5M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)