Memos Gone Awry

Memento (2000)
Directed by Jonathan Nolan
Cinematography by Wally Pfister

    The functions of Sammy Jankis in Memento are myriad and confusing. While almost all of the flashbacks in the film are shown in order backwards, Leonard Shelby’s (Guy Pierce) relating of the story of Jankis (Stephen Tobolowsky) is sprinkled throughout chaotically and appears to be in order.

    The viewer learns more about Shelby’s disease (Korsakoff’s Psychosis or Amnesic-Confabulatory Syndrome) through the story of Jankis. One gets to observe Shelby as a successful insurance investigator who is good at his job. Shelby probably tells the story of Jankis to remind himself–and the show people he meets–that he once contributed to society as a man who was whole when his memory in tact. Simultaneously the viewer develops more empathy for him when they see who he was compared to who he has become and thus what he has lost. Seeing Jankis–who is incapable of caring for himself–compared to Shelby while he is continuing and ongoing investigation creates a stark contrast.

    The viewer never finds out for certain whether Jankis is real or not this contributes to one’s confusion while watching the film. Did Shelby really investigate a client named Sammy Jankis (coincidentally someone who had the same condition that he now has), or did he make the story up? If Shelby did make up the story up when did he do it? How can he really remember the story if he cannot form new memories anymore? When Jankis is revealed at the conclusion of his story, sitting dazed in an asylum, the figure of Shelby is flashed for a moment. This poses the question: was Shelby in an institution himself at one point? If so, he obviously escaped or was released at some point. Furthermore, does Shelby know that he is lying every time he tells the story of Sammy Jankis? Perhaps Shelby’s problem is psychological and he doesn’t really have the condition, just as it was for Jankis. On the other hand maybe he really can remember and just acts this way as an alibi (though this last option seems extremely unlikely). None of these questions are answered in the film: the viewer is forced to draw their own conclusions.

    The last question posed by the Jankis story is who Shelby is telling the story to. The most likely assumption is that Shelby is telling Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), but there is no concrete evidence of this fact. Teddy claims that he was the one, but can we trust Teddy? Throughout the film we are reminded: “DON’T BELIEVE HIS LIES.” No matter who was on the other end of the phone, it doesn’t make any sense. Teddy says that Shelby will tell the Jankis story to anyone who will listen, that he’s heard it repeatedly, so why is he threatening Shelby in order to hear it yet again? There is no clear reason for anyone to be threatening Shelby in this manner when he won’t remember it in five minutes.

    It is difficult for me to reconcile the fact that Jankis never existed, but that still seems the most plausible answer. But that must mean that Shelby is able to form some new memories and selectively forget others. In real life this would pose some very interesting questions. Shelby is obviously able to function in society, but he is also obviously dangerous. Whatever the “truth,” Memento is a sad story and great brain tickler that just makes one stop and think.