8.2 (16,197)20001h 53m

Memento

Some memories are best forgotten.

MysteryThriller

Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term 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.

Why watch Memento

Critically praised and widely loved. Strong performances plus a compelling narrative that keeps you hooked. Pour a drink, dim the lights, and let the opening scene pull you in — this one earns your evening. Expect the kind of story that lingers after the credits roll, the kind you'll want to text a friend about before bed.

— The What2Watch desk · US

Where to watch

The story

Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term 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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Reviews & ratings

John Chard
John Chard9.0Jul 12, 2015
We all lie to ourselves to be happy. It's not until a film like Memento comes along, or that you personally have to deal with someone close who suffers a form of this subject to hand, that you get jolted to remember just how your memory is such a prized and treasured thing - and crucially that it's one of your key safety devices. Christopher and Jonathan Nolan crafted one of the best films of 2000 based on thos…Show more
T
talisencrw10.0May 14, 2016
Excellent. I can't believe I've finally gotten around to watching all of Christopher Nolan's films (I have 'The Prestige' on DVD, but have yet to see it), but it's been well worth the wait. There are a couple of handful of English-language directors operating right now that I will make sure I watch every single film of, and Nolan has become one of those for me, and rightfully so. A very fine twist on the noir framewo…Show more
mattwilde123
mattwilde12310.0Mar 9, 2017
‘Memento’ is director Christopher Nolan’s tribute to classic film noir tales of revenge and mystery. By adding a new twist to traditional conventions, Nolan is able to consume and grip the viewer throughout the entire film and for years after. The aspect that differentiates this neo-noir from its competitors today is its jumbled and complex narrative which continually moves backwards in time. The viewers first see th…Show more
AstroNoud
AstroNoud8.0Feb 26, 2022

Structuring the film in such a way that the viewer knows as little as the protagonist, the Nolan's have created a nifty puzzle that slowly unravels to its climax. 8/10

r96sk
r96sk10.0May 15, 2024
Phenomenal. What a movie! I had heard plenty about <em>'Memento'</em> prior to watching in regards to how high-quality it supposedly was, though didn't actually (thankfully) get spoiled on anything that occurs onscreen - I did know of the note-taking, though for some reason thought it was via post-it notes rather than polaroids - no idea why! It's a very satisfying movie come the conclusion, concentration is ve…Show more
CinemaSerf
CinemaSerf7.0May 30, 2024
I reckon what makes this work from Christopher Nolan is the creation of a cerebral maelstrom that is every bit as confusingly frustrating for us watching as it is for his protagonist "Leonard" (Guy Pearce). Now we don't know how he has developed his menacing ninja skills, but we do know that he is trying to get to the bottom of his wife's murder, and that he has virtually no short-term memory to help him. As he piece…Show more
ekaari
ekaari7.0Jun 18, 2024

A similar style to Inception, pay attention or you’ll lose it

Dr_Nostromo
Dr_Nostromo9.0May 18, 2026
89/100 A man uses tattoos, notes and photographs to hunt down his wife's killer as he has lost his ability to create new memories. This early effort by Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight", "Inception") is sheer genius. Starting at the end of the story and then continually leap frogging back short periods denies the viewer any memory leading up the current events placing them in the same mental condition as our pr…Show more