Really? A Seinfeld episode used the same kind of storytelling, so I guess you haven't seen that episode.
In any case, I grant you that the 'reverse time-gimmick' works extremely well for this exact story, because it forces the viewer to experience the memory condition the main character has, so in THAT way, it's absolutely brilliant.
However, if you look at it as just a story (and it IS a bit nonsensical one in any case), and watch everything in chronological order (so there's no more confusing gimmick), the story is actually pretty boring, paper-thin and uninteresting. Seeing everything from beginning to end is actually a VERY mundane experience, and reveals that the gimmick makes it SEEM more interesting than it actually is.
By the way, 'Shutter Island' is basically a poor man's version of this movie, if you think about it (so many weird similarities too, like 'Leonard'..)
Memento is an OK movie with an interesting atmosphere and weird, creepy musics, enormously saved by Joe Pantoliano's amazing charisma (I wanted see more of him after watching this), made funny by the gimmick forcing you to realize how funny some situations are, when you know how things happened, and so on - maybe the best example being 'I don't feel drunk', Leonard going to take a shower right after trying to ambush someone, because he forgot the situation he was in.
So I don't know how this can be the best storytelling you have ever seen, but it IS kind of telling how you are talking about the storytelling instead of the story, sort of admitting that even though you want to praise the movie, the story isn't anything to write home about.
reply
share