The Memento Gimmick

I liked the Memento gimmick, of going back in time as if the scenes were in reverse chronological order. In fact, it is more than a gimmick! It's an ingenious way to make the viewer feel like the main character Lenard feels. I was lost for a while, imagine if that was every15 minutes of your life. At least he has a "system" to keep things in check (not).

Momento

The ending (or rather "the beginning") totally shocked me. I mean I just didn't see that coming all. You see the word FACT tattooed on his body and you think, "this must be true." But none of it was. He was lying to us and to himself, but as soon as he forgot he was now again 'telling the truth,' via lie.

Lenny made this whole point about Facts vs. Memories, and even though that he didn't have the memories, he still had "the facts." He said how Facts are much more important than people's memory, etc. Well apparently he doesn't have either. He should probably get those tattoos turned into something else ( zebra stripes?). It just dawned on me why he never truly wants to catch this John G. fellow! He got all those tattoos very hastily, what is he going to do when he catches this guy he is looking for, check off each tattoo? I'm putting too much thought into this.

One question I have: The car and clothes? If Lenny took Jim's car and clothes and Natalia recognizes them (thinking that it is her man that pulls up as she is taking out the trash), wouldn't she figure out that maybe he killed her man? Or at least get the money back from him or something ...? Or...... is she just using him to kill Teddy and get drug dealers and cops off her back. I'm drawing a blank, maybe I missed something subtle.

And one more thing about the ending: As Teddy was saying all the revelations to Lenard, I was deep down hoping that they weren't true. I felt like an idiot when I found out that Lenard was lying to himself and conditioned himself to believe these lies, and has killed multiple people named John G. (the name did strike me as very common early on). I had been rooting for him the whole movie. It's like finding out superman beats up hookers or something; its a real shock.

I give Lenard credit for one thing. At least he has something to live for. Its something much more than for being a cashier at cvs like some people. His life goal he has fulfilled a few times, and will continue to live for it. To each his own I say. (he just needs to not kill anymore people, or stick to sleezy drug dealers and guys with mustaches).