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Trailer
This is a complex story about Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man whose ability to make new memories is damaged when he is struck in the head while confronting two drug dealers who are attacking his wife at their home in the middle of the night. His wife and one of the drug dealers are killed during the attack. Leonard then devotes his life to finding and killing the second attacker. Before finally achieving his goal, he is manipulated by others who use his condition for their own purposes.
The movie alternates between color and black and white sequences. The black and white sequences proceed in chronological order, but the color sequences proceed in reverse chronological order. The forward black and white scenes and the reverse color scenes alternate until they meet in the middle of the story at the end of the film.
In the two disc DVD set, the second disc contains the movie in chronological order. To play this version of the movie: (1) select the clock icon; (2) select the answer "C" to every multiple choice question; and (3) arrange the tire changing steps in reverse chronological order (3-4-1-2). The movie will then begin to play (with the credits first - in backward order). Some functions (fast forward, chapter skip, etc.) are disabled.
This is a synopsis of the story as presented when put together in chronological order. It is not the plot order presented in the film.
The story starts in black and white. Leonard Shelby wakes up in a room at the Discount Inn puzzled as to why he is there. The phone rings and he speaks with an unknown caller. He tells the caller that he suffers from anterograde amnesia, a condition which makes him unable to create new memories. He describes the condition by detailing the story of Sammy Jankis (Stephen Tobolowsky), who had the same problem.
Leonard describes how one must have a system of notes to deal with the problems and a drive to use them. Leonard says he has the drive that Sammy never had and the viewer sees Leonard's tattoo: "JOHN G. RAPED AND MURDERED MY WIFE" as well as other clues and notes tattooed on his body.
Leonard continues the story and explains that he had just become an insurance investigator when he met Sammy and was assigned to determine whether his condition was covered by his insurance policy. Sammy's condition was not like other cases of anterograde amnesia in that Sammy was unable to learn through conditioning. After additional testing, Leonard says he concluded that Sammy's condition was psychological and the claim was denied because Sammy was not covered for mental illness.
Mrs. Jankis (Harriet Sansom Harris) met privately with Leonard. In trying to placate her, Leonard told her that Sammy should be able to make new memories. She tested Sammy's memory by repeatedly asking him to give her insulin injections. She lapsed into a coma and died from the overdose. Sammy was then confined to a mental institution.
During this conversation, the caller and Leonard talk about Leonard's quest and how the police did not believe the story about the second attacker. The caller identifies himself as a policeman and provides Leonard with additional clues for his quest . Leonard tattoos the fact the second attacker was a drug dealer. The caller identifies the second attacker as Jimmy Grantz and tells Leonard that he has set up a meeting with Jimmy. Leonard agrees to meet the caller in the motel lobby.
In the lobby, the caller introduces himself as "Officer Gammell" (Joe Pantoliano), but says that Leonard should call him "Teddy". Teddy gives Leonard directions to the meeting location and Leonard goes to meet Jimmy at an abandoned refinery.
When Jimmy Grantz (Larry Holden) arrives, he recognizes Leonard as the man with the memory condition, demands to know what Leonard is doing there, and asks where Teddy is. Leonard threatens Jimmy with a tire iron and tells him to strip. Jimmy pleads for his life and tells Leonard that there is $200,000 in the trunk of his car for payment of the drugs that Teddy was to have brought to the meeting. Leonard strangles Jimmy, takes a Polaroid photo of his body, and starts putting on Jimmy's clothes. As the photo of Jimmy's body develops, the film gradually goes from black and white into color.
The remaining story is in color, but proceeds in the film in reverse order.
As Leonard drags Jimmy into the basement , he hears Jimmy whisper "Sammy..." before dying. Leonard concludes that if Jimmy knew about Sammy, he was not the second attacker.
Teddy arrives at the scene and tries to convince Leonard that Jimmy was the man he was after. Leonard does not believe him. Teddy finally admits that Jimmy Grantz was a drug dealer who did not have anything to do with his wife's killing. Teddy then tells Leonard that his wife survived the attack. According to Teddy, Sammy Jankis was a fraud who was not even married and it was Leonard's wife who was diabetic. Teddy claims to be the police officer who investigated his wife's murder. He says he took pity on Leonard and helped him track down and kill the real John G. more than a year ago and took a picture of a happy Leonard right after the second attacker was dead. Leonard forgot the killing and began searching for John G. all over again. Teddy tells Leonard there are plenty of John Gs to find and admits that he is even a John G: his full name is John Edward Gammell and his mother calls him Teddy. Teddy's story is probably not 
Tags:
summit entertainment,
mystery,
thriller,
suspense,
guy pearce,
carrie anne moss,
joe pantoliano
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Partial Film Information
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Jonathan Nolan
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Cast: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano
Release: March 16, 2001
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