The Second Plausible Interpretation of the Movie

The Second Plausible Interpretation: 'Lenny didn't kill his wife & Teddy Lied'

The Movie does not confirm that Lenny was Delusional
Lenny believes that Sammy had a wife.
Lenny had clear-cut memories of his elaborate meeting with Sammy's wife where she expresses concern about her husband.

If it is believed that what Lenny believes about Sammy's Wife is a false belief, then it makes Lenny a Delusional Patient - A different mental disorder other than Amnesia. Also if Lenny forms a false memory of his meeting with Sammy's wife, his condition cannot allow to register it permanently.

It cannot be ruled out that Sammy indeed had a wife. It could also be hence believed that Teddy could have Lied.

The Reasons for Teddy to Lie:

1. Lenny learns that he has killed a wrong person
2. Lenny immediately attacks Teddy.
3. Teddy has to provide justification and he does so by cooking up a story that they killed the real John G (whose full name Teddy does not say - obviously because he doesn't know) and that Lenny was not satisfied with that.
4. Teddy had learned everything from Lenny from the Phone conversation. Most of the conversation which took place was about Sammy.
5. Teddy had the information and to reinforce the lies, he lies to Lenny that Lenny is in state of denial.
6. We see Lenny in a state of confusion as if he is starting to doubt his memories. There is no indication from the movie that Lenny affirms to what Teddy says - neither by facial expression nor by verbal admittance.

The Reasons for Lenny to Frame Teddy:

1. The end part of the Movie comes to a different shocking situation where Lenny learns that an innocent victim has been killed by his own hands.
2. Lenny decides to end his miss-utilization and be happy (falsely) by framing Teddy.
3. Lenny does so and we see the irony of Teddy's Lies about Lenny's Psychotic Quest. The Quest ends up to have Teddy (the antagonist) himself getting victimized.


This is one leg of interpretation apart from the conventional interpretation that Lenny killed his wife & Teddy told the truth. Both Interpretations could be EQUALLY valid because :-

The Beginning (End by chronological order) is open. We never see whether Lenny jots down 'John G is Dead' on Teddy's Photo or he does Not.