Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why.
"Memento" tells the story of Leonard, a man with short-term memory loss, trying to solve his wife's murder. He uses notes, tattoos, and Polaroids to track clues because he can't make new memories. The movie jumps around in time, making it a puzzle for the viewer too. While watching, you'll learn vocabulary related to memory ("amnesia," "condition," "remember"), investigation ("clue," "detective," "facts"), and emotions ("anger," "revenge," "torment"). The dialogue also includes everyday language, slang, and more complex sentences, providing a mix of English styles. The movie explores themes of memory, identity, and truth. Leonard's struggle with memory loss shows how important it is for communication and understanding. The film's emotional intensity, from Leonard's frustration to his grief and anger, exposes learners to a wide range of vocabulary and expressions related to feelings. The shifting timeline and unreliable narration force viewers to pay close attention to the language used to piece together the story, improving comprehension and analytical skills. Learning English with "Memento" is beneficial for several reasons. The clear pronunciation and moderate speaking pace make it relatively easy to follow the dialogue. The movie's suspenseful plot will keep you engaged and motivated to understand what's happening. By following Leonard's investigation and analyzing the characters' interactions, you'll improve your listening, vocabulary, and understanding of complex sentence structures. Plus, discussing the movie’s themes and twists with other learners can be a great way to practice speaking and expressing your opinions in English.
Here are the first 15 of the more difficult words in Memento:
