Telling a story in reverse-chronological order is, on one level, as sort of gimmick, like telling a film in real-time or shooting a single take. What elevates Memento's narrative from gimmickry, though, is that its bizarre structure is integral to our experience of watching the film. It is, in fact, what gives the film meaning.

Nolan is quoted in the video: "One day I came up with this notion that if you withhold the information from the audience that’s withheld from the protagonist, then you’re doing quite a good job of putting them in his head...The way to do that is to structure the film backward."

Tucker's argument is that this is Memento’s "designing principle." Within the structure this principle forms, it is the questions Leonard (Guy Pearce) asks himself throughout the film that drive its action.

emento isn't just about a man trying to figure out who he can trust; it's a story about whether we can trust ourselves. In that sense, it fulfills Aristotle's criterion for a satisfying dramatic ending, i.e., that it be surprising and inevitable. This is what makes Memento more than just a movie with a neat narrative gimmick. It's a supremely crafted piece of pop art.

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