(March 30, 2001) — Seldom does a movie come along that can be deservedly dubbed an instant classic. “Memento” is one of those rarities. With exceptional acting, a brilliant premise and more twists and turns than “Fight Club,” “The Sixth Sense” and “The Usual Suspects” combined, “Memento” will easily become the best film of 2001. Not for quite some time has a script as well written and unique as “Memento” come along. The storyline focuses on Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) and his search for the man who murdered his wife and smashed his head into a mirror, damaging his short-term memory. Now Leonard cannot make any new memories; about every 15 minutes he forgets everything that has just happened to him. If he talks to a person for too long, he’ll forget what the conversation was about. Every time he meets someone, he can’t remember whether or not he has come into contact with them before. The only things he can remember clearly are all the events in his life up to his wife’s murder. In order to tell what is going on in his investigation, Leonard uses a series of Polaroids, notes and tattoos on his body to remind him of what he has learned so far. And in order to better convey his condition, the film is shown backwards, meaning, chronologically, the first scene is the last scene and vice versa. In effect, the audience shares Leonard’s affliction, since neither knows what has just happened. Everything you think you know about the characters when the movie begins gets thrown for a loop so many times it’s staggering. So, if “Pulp Fiction”’s chronology confused you, “Memento” will leave you downright befuddled. The two main characters involved in Leonard’s quest are Teddy and Natalie, portrayed by Joe Pantoliano and Carrie-Ann Moss. Their actions to either help or hinder Leonard are excellently played out by writer/director Christopher Nolan’s script. They are constantly shrouded in a pitch-black cloud of mystery, so you can never be sure of their true motives. Pearce uses the same acting muscle he showed in “L.A. Confidential” and wasted in his films since. His tenacity and determination to find his wife’s killer is inspiring and at the same time frightening, since you aren’t sure of what he’s done already. And it’s my solemn prediction that come next year Pearce will surely get an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. So, if you can handle its complex layout, “Memento” will definitely be the best movie you see this year. But always keep in mind the fact that nothing in this film is what it seems. One of Leonard’s Polaroids is a picture of Teddy with a message on the back reading “Don’t Believe His Lies.” You should do the same with “Memento,” since you won’t know what is actually happening until the end—or the beginning, depending on how you look at it. “Memento” is currently playing at theaters everywhere. Rated R for language and violence.