Just when I thought I had Memento figured out... (1 Viewer)

[Dean Kousoulas]

After viewing Memento multiple times, I was 100% sure I had figured out the story. But after watching it again tonight, I noticed something I never had before.

It was the scene right before the credits rolled...



Lenny is driving. He had just killed Jimmy, and found out how "Teddy" has been using him. While driving, he closed his eyes for a moment. At this time, there is a quick shot of Lenny, lying in bed with his wife. I figured it was just a memory right? Then I noticed there is a tattoo in the spot he is saving for when he killed the "John G" he was searching for (This is according to what he told Natalie). The tattoo read "I've Done It." Why would he have a body full of tattoos in the period when his wife was still alive, let along a tattoo that let's him know his only mission in life was complete? What was this scene? Can anybody explain?


Thanks,
Dean

 

[Matt Pelham]

This has been discussed so many times it's not even funny. If you do a search you'll find a couple of threads that will answer your question. But just to let you know there isn't a clear-cut exclusive answer. It can be interpreted to mean several things.

 

[FredHD]

Reminds me of the old "What's in the briefcase?" discussion a few years back about "Pulp Fiction"

JW

 

[Andrew_Sch]

Just in case you're too lazy to search, it's pretty much been established that that was just Lenny's imagination, telling himself that he'd done it, and wasn't a real-life occurence.

 

[Jereme D]

What was in the briefcase? ;-)

 

[Matt Stone]

Lenny's soul

 

[felix_suwarno]

how come an ultra confusing movie be praised like that? memento is the only movie that i watched twice in a row and i still got nothing.

 

[Matt Stone]

Maybe it's you and not the movie
Seriously though, movies don't get praised for being really easy to figure out.
If you need help understanding the movie, use the search feature and look at the other threads...they should help you understand.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Many people felt that the scene was a moment of fantasy in Lenny's head, picturing him with his wife and his goal accomplished.

In fact it could be quite doubted that he had any tattoos at all while his wife was alive.

 

[Berk]

Dean:

Thanks for the post! I for one support the fresh discussion of old topics. Would a person read an week old newspaper to get a current take on the world? I think not!

My perspective on the final scene in Memento is that it's Lenny's image of his goal state. It gets a bit confusing, considering that his wife is dead (?).

Either way, a great flick worthy of a fresh perspective!

Berk

 

[Paul_D]

how come an ultra confusing movie be praised like that? memento is the only movie that i watched twice in a row and i still got nothing.

Nothing? Were your eyes open during the screenings?

 

[Chris]

"It's not that I don't get it, it's that maybe there is nothing there to get. I mean, I could get it if I wanted to get it - that's for sure.. but if I got it, what would I get?" - Zorak


CW

 

[Richard WWW]

Sure, his wife is gone, but when he's driving away after killing Teddy, does that little bit of memory elude him? And anyway, done what? The Tattoo say's "I've Done It" and Lenny realizes he's just accomplished something he considers important, but by the time he drives away, does he even remember what he just did?

 

[Jeff Willy]

Don't call him Lenny.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

I must mention that the briefcase in Pulp Fiction contains the stolen nuclear material from Kiss Me Deadly.

Thank you for your attention.

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

In fact it could be quite doubted that he had any tattoos at all while his wife was alive.

I also doubt he had tatoos. The tatoos would show up in his flashbacks as some osmosis, whereas he superimposed them as that was how he saw himself today and he was idealizing a fantasy of having his wife with him again. The "I Did It" tatoo showed up because he "knew" he had done something and now his existance with his wife could be fulfilled, fantasy-wise, and that he would no longer need to chase down his phantom assailant.

Bruce

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Many people felt that the scene was a moment of fantasy in Lenny's head, picturing him with his wife and his goal accomplished.

In fact it could be quite doubted that he had any tattoos at all while his wife was alive

Thats always pretty much been my take on it too!

 

[ForresterW]

maybe tattoo refers to his wifes murder??

 

[Craig P]

Edit: Nevermind. Posted response based on misreading previous post.

 

[IanHo]

I was reading the article about Kill Bill in EW and I read a funny thing said by QT about Memento:

"Good movie! But there's a hole okay? And its this! How, okay, does he remember ....his own $#@!!n' condition?"