Expert: Fred Topel - 5/31/2001

Question
I just saw the movie Memento last night and I am extremely confused.  Could you please explain to me the ending of the movie!!  Is Lenard really Sammy?  Did he actually kill his wife.  If not who did?  Why did Sammy suddenly change into Lenard in the hospital? Why was there a flashback of lenard laying in bed with his wife with the tattoo on his heart saying he did it, if his wife was dead, how was he laying with her? I'm just really confused and if you can answer a few of these questions, I would appreciate it. Thanks! -Kyle

Answer
SPOILERS






According Chris Nolan, the writer/director, the last scene with the "I Did It" tatoo is a dream. So it's just an artistic reflection of his fake satisfaction for giving himself purpose.

There really was a Sammy but that Sammy was a con artist. Leonard is the one who ODed his wife on insulin because she survived the rape but couldn't stand his debilitating condition. So, he unintentionally killed his wife and he did kill the real rapist, but that didn't fix his memory, so Teddy had him keep killing John Gs. The only thing that gave him closure was convincing himself Teddy was the John G he was after. That's why I think "I did it" meant he'd finally found the guy, even though we know, as he does for the few minutes his memory lasted.

Does that help any?

Fred
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