Christopher Nolan’s forgotten masterpiece is finally on HBO Max ‣ Diverse Daily

Though Christopher Nolan is well-known today for hits like Inception, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight, one of my favorite entries in his filmography, Memento, which came out over 25 years ago is too often overlooked. Like many people, I discovered this 2001 film on DVD when a friend of mine in high school told me about this trippy movie that they couldn’t stop thinking about and literally required viewers to solve a menu puzzle to even watch.

And while I was mostly confused by my first viewing of the film (I was 16, cut me some slack), over the years I have become more enamored with the film’s non-linear structure and the unique way it invites audiences to engage with the central mystery and solve the puzzles presented in the film alongside the protagonist. And now, if you are an HBO Max subscriber, you can now watch this forgotten masterpiece just in time for the 25th anniversary of its original US release.

What is Memento about?

A non-linear mystery that viewers and the main character solve together

The film follows main character Leonard Shelby, played by Guy Pearce, who has anterograde amnesia, a condition that prevents him from forming new memories. Every day, Shelby wakes up haunted by his final memory: the brutal murder of his wife. He is dedicated to finding out who is responsible for her killing, but because of his condition, he has to resort to using tattoos, notes, and photographs to remind himself about what he has learned about the mysterious John G., the man he believes is responsible for his wife’s death.

The film features a non-linear structure and alternates between black-and-white and color sequences that represent different moments in time. The film’s structure initially helps simulate the main character’s memory problems, but as additional context is revealed through the different flashes forwards and backwards, viewers’ knowledge eventually overtakes that of the main character, which leads to a final act that is incredibly impactful, and demands an immediate rewatch.

Where else can you stream Memento?

The movie is available for free on Tubi, Pluto TV and The Roku Channel

Roku Channel on a TV in front of Roku City. — Roku / Tim Mossholder / Pexels / Pocket-lint

Though HBO Max is now streaming Memento, this isn’t a hard movie to find elsewhere if you aren’t a subscriber. Pluto TV, Tubi, and The Roku Channel all have this film currently streaming (with ads) and you can also watch the film streaming on Peacock. If none of those options work for you, the film is also available to purchase or rent from Apple TV, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video Google Play, and Fandango at Home.