'Momento' analysis - Frank Boylan

To What extent is the film 'Momento' part of the 'Film noir' genre?

In this short essay, I will discuss the generic conventions in the short introduction sequence to the film 'Momento' and how it does and doesn't challenge its genre 'Noir'. However, film noir cannot be defined by typical conventions. The film begins with a fade into a polaroid picture, this image shows a dead person which slowly fades away, at this point the audience should realise this introduction scene is in backwards. A death in the opening scene is generic of the 'noir' genre, it creates an enigma code of which he story is entirely based upon. This enigma code creates a variety of questions to the audience like: 'Why did he die?', and arguably more importantly 'Who killed him?'. In the film noir genre, these questions are usually not answered to the very end of the film, and the buildup is to the mystery of 'who is behind it'. However, in this film, we learn that the main protagonist actually kills him.

"Moral ambivalence, criminal violence and the contradictory complexity of situations and motives combine to give the audience a genuine sense of anxiety or insecurity"

After the polaroid fade, we see a mini montage of various items, including a pair of blood-stained glasses and an empty bullet casing. These two items connote murder, especially the empty bullet casing which shows this was in fact intended murder and not an accident. The introduction features low key lighting. The film noir article identifies this lighting as a convention, 'it creates rich black shadows', 'the low key noir style opposes light and dark'. Furthermore, slow dramatic instrumental piece creates a feeling of mystery during the intro, further creating a tense feeling.


The plot featured in 'Momento' is typical on the noir genre, it is usually based around a case and finding the guy behind the initial killing (that is introduced usually in the intro to the film).

"The detective is engaged in finding out the identity of the perpetrator and the scope of his crime."