# OK so I just saw Memento... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194 "2003-09-22T22:39:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/1 "2003-09-22T22:39:09Z")
Whoa. Ok that was interesting. I’m very glad no one had told me about it because this would definitely be a ruinable movie. I really enjoyed it and thought that the acting was very good. But… …whoa. ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/2 "2003-09-22T22:45:16Z")
Hi, Opal! 😃 What is your theory on Sammy Jenkis and Leonard? ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/3 "2003-09-22T22:48:16Z")
Oh, Teddy was SO telling the truth. I’d believe anything Joey Pants told me. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/4 "2003-09-22T22:51:36Z")
The Sammy thing is just weird. I’m not sure where the crossover is there… I’m going to have to watch this a few more times… ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/5 "2003-09-22T22:56:56Z")
The Sammy thing is just weird. I’m not sure where the crossover is there… I’m going to have to watch this a few more times… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/6 "2003-09-22T23:06:30Z")
So what’s your opinion on the Sammy thing, and where do you think the crossover is? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/7 "2003-09-22T23:16:48Z")
Sammy Jankis? Who? I think I’d remember something like that . . . ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/8 "2003-09-22T23:33:38Z")
Maybe it would help to read this [review](http://www.selfmadecritic.com/memento.html) of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Severian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Severian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Severian)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/9 "2003-09-22T23:41:14Z")
I love that movie. I think it’s flawed though. There’s no way you can actually connect all the pieces. You’ll go mad trying. Here are two good links for those that want to try and figure it out though: [http://www.designpattern.org/mementofaq.htm](http://www.designpattern.org/mementofaq.htm) [http://www.christophernolan.net/memento.php](http://www.christophernolan.net/memento.php) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_of\_the\_CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Earl\_of\_the\_CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_of_the_CC)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/10 "2003-09-23T00:30:38Z")
I firmly believe that Teddy was telling the absolute truth at the end of the movie. There are many pieces of evidence that Leonard’s memory problem is psychologically manufactured. The best piece of evidence in my eyes, not most convincing, but coolest, is when he says to Natalie “You have to burn them” when she tries to destroy a polaroid. Why would he, or anyone know the best method to dispatch of a polaroid? Not like he’d be burning them on the job at the insurance agency. Sounds like he found a way to do it to get rid of pictures of “evidence” he no longer needed and remembered it, but didn’t remember remembering it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/11 "2003-09-23T00:33:26Z")
> [@](#): > > I think it’s flawed though. There’s no way you can actually connect all the pieces. You’ll go mad trying. I don’t think that’s true at all, especially since I think I have it all connected. ---
**Author:** ![HumanStromboli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@HumanStromboli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HumanStromboli)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/12 "2003-09-23T03:20:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Earl of the CC \* > \*\*The best piece of evidence in my eyes, not most convincing, but coolest, is when he says to Natalie “You have to burn them” when she tries to destroy a polaroid. Why would he, or anyone know the best method to dispatch of a polaroid? Not like he’d be burning them on the job at the insurance agency. Sounds like he found a way to do it to get rid of pictures of “evidence” he no longer needed and remembered it, but didn’t remember remembering it. \*\* I’ve long thought the same thing, and I’ve never heard a decent explanation—much less much of a criticism concerning it. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/13 "2003-09-23T03:23:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FilmGeek \* > \*\*Oh, Teddy was SO telling the truth. > > I’d believe anything Joey Pants told me. \*\* Don’t believe his lies. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/14 "2003-09-23T03:46:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Severian \* > \*\* > I think it’s flawed though. There’s no way you can actually connect all the pieces. You’ll go mad trying. > \*\* I don’t think that’s a flaw, I think that’s the _point_. It is possible to come up with good theories supported by the evidence in the film, but there is not enough information to firmly prove any of them. Crucial events are never seen on camera. We have to try to understand the story based on limited information, just as someone with a memory problem would…or in fact just as _anyone_ would. In real life we never have all the evidence either, and our memories are not always as reliable as we might think. People who approach this movie as simply a puzzle to be solved are only going to end up feeling frustrated. I suspect they’ll also miss out on the real message of the film. When _Memento_ came out there was a thread here in which someone (maybe several people) were arguing for a fairly complicated interpretation of the film that was really only supported by one line of dialogue…that they remembered incorrectly! ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/15 "2003-09-23T04:41:21Z")
One thing I keep wondering about: 1. Why does he bother with the prostitute in the hotel room? Why not just go out and burn them? Seeing them in the car should remind him what he was doing, at least as much as having them scattered around the room would. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/16 "2003-09-23T04:51:49Z")
I rented Memento and knew I had to own it after I watched it once. I tell everyone, that this is a movie you will have to see twice, regardless of how you liked it. It has to be one of the best movies ever, and due to its subject matter, would never be done again. If your reading this and somehow havent seen it, go buy it, I will wait. Anyone catch one to the Fox show “John Doe” Ripping Memento Shamelessly? I heard that some non-region 1 DVDs have the movie “in order” can any one confirm this? Also what became of the two DVD Set? Thanks for the links above, and I still get something out of the movie and Ive seen it at least 20 times by now. ---
**Author:** ![Scorpio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Scorpio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scorpio)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/17 "2003-09-23T04:52:50Z")
I always thought the prostitute was a habit of his, to strengthen his wish for vengeance if it starts to waver by re-creating the last few moments of his wife’s life. ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/18 "2003-09-23T12:01:13Z")
> [@](#): > > I heard that some non-region 1 DVDs have the movie “in order” > can any one confirm this? Also what became of the two DVD Set? IIRC, you can type in a code of some sort on the 2-disc set to get it to play in order. \ Yeah…[here it is](http://dvd.ign.com/articles/360/360944p1.html?fromint=1). ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/19 "2003-09-23T12:55:41Z")
On the UK release you can select the _“play in order”_ option from a hidden menu - just hit your _‘select’_ button at the end of the spiral sequence in the aminated menus. Previous in-depth discussion about Mementoon the SDMB [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=67608), [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=128122&highlight=Memento), [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=86182&highlight=Memento) and [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=117319&highlight=Memento). Some good ideas about the plot. ---
**Author:** ![keithnmick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@keithnmick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keithnmick)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194/20 "2003-09-23T14:11:57Z")
Spoilers ahead - minor ones!!! The website clarifies things…a little. Its [http://www.otnemem.com/](http://www.otnemem.com/) (memento backwards - geddit) I think you can figure things out too. The black and white scenes are in order and the color scenes are in reverse. Once you figure this out it’s easier to work out the movie. There are also a couple of very quick flashes where Sammy Jankiss (sp?) turns into Leonard in the B & W scenes. This makes me think Teddy is telling the truth at the end of the movie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-i-just-saw-memento/203194.md?page=2)