Memória Curta

This movie is one of my favorite comedies. I saw it before I knew that Dana Carvey was Garth from Wayne's World (this was before my great interest in Cinema and now know everything about films in the '90s and '00s). I found it to be very entertaining and have seen it many times since. I love it when an ex-SNL actor is able to star in a movie that is not based on a Character they did on SNL (Mike Myers in So I Married and Axe Murderer, Adam Sandler in Billy Madison, and Chris Farley, David Spade in Tommy Boy). Carvey has this charm about him as seeming like a regular guy. He does not seem like the Hollywood type. I think he is highly underrated and I hope he can find his niche again. Clean Slate is the comedy version of Memento, or Memento is the serious version of Clean Slate. I heard that Adam Sandler was producing a script Dan Carvey wrote, so I hope something comes of that.

Since it didn't affect the overall storyline, I'm rating it decently, though not as high as a 7 because of it. If the dog's blind in one eye, he would have a depth perception problem, not a problem of seeing an object off to the side of where it actually is. Other than that, I really like this one.

Interesting premise with many surprisingly funny moments. It's not Oscar Wild - but not low-brow either. The humour is unusually under-played at times - which makes a refreshing change. There are jokes here that you don't necessarily get the first time around - particularly liked the later explanation for the mural painters many attempts at Mona Lisa - + a nice tie in to the film title.

It could have been a little 'sick' - but the medical condition is used to tasteful effect (I thought) - without milking it dry. So clearly the inspiration for Mememto that I'm surprised there wasn't more comment at the time. The 'system' for remembering things, and the abuse made of the illness by those in the know.....all directly lifted by the later Mememto - albeit in a more serious genre.

Not sure how I missed this at the time - and much better than the current score of 5.5 suggests.

Dana Carvey, one of the most talented SNL alumni ever, shows that not all of his movies suck in this hilarious movie. Dana Carvey is outstandingly funny, and the whole situation is so bizarre that it's quite amusing. Why do the critics hate this movie so much? This movie is definitely worth watching.

After an explosion, private detective Maurice Pogue wakes up every morning with amnesia. The night before, he has always made sure to record on tape everything he would need to remember the next day, such as what is wrong with him and why. One very important detail: he must not tell anyone what is wrong with him, because he must testify in the case against Cornell, the bad guy responsible for the explosion, and without his testimony there is no case. Obviously, if he can't remember the explosion, he has no credibility as a witness.

Sarah Novak, who was supposedly killed in the explosion, comes to Pogue for help, saying she can't go to the police. She may be in the Witness Protection Program as fashion model Beth Holly. Or perhaps Beth is pretending to be Sarah.

Pogue and Sarah/Beth must search for a coin worth millions. One gag involves this coin being put into a parking meter.

And Pogue is also the father of a baby. It would be a disaster if a baby was put in the care of someone in his situation.

Cornell would like Pogue to conveniently forget what he saw. Of course, he doesn't know that he has gotten his wish.

Rosenheim is the prosecutor in Cornell's case, but he is so dense that when given clues the blind street musician could see the significance of, he can't figure out what they mean. Dolby is Rosenheim's wheelchair-bound boss.

Speaking of the street musician, he is quite good. He plays the clarinet and people give him money. Next to him is an artist painting new versions of The Mona Lisa on the side of a building. I say "versions" because he is not good at accepting criticism.

I liked a lot of the music in this movie. Some of it was traditional jazz, and the movie used various styles of music from old-style detective movies.

The concept of a private detective with amnesia was the funniest thing. Pogue had to be a detective every morning just to figure out who he was. "Groundhog Day" in reverse.

Dana Carvey was okay as Pogue. He had several standout moments, such as the time Cornell came to his door just after Pogue reminded himself the landlord was demanding the rent or else! And there was the scene where, while watching an old detective movie (Bogart may have been in it, but I'm not entirely sure), Pogue figured out how to solve his problem. And of course Dolby's birthday party at the movie's start.

I thought Michael Gambon gave the best performance as the evil gangster Cornell. Not completely evil, but balanced and convincing.

Pogue's dog Baby (played by Barkley) added a lot, because he kept bumping into things because of his lack of depth perception. And of course the name means Pogue keeps searching for clues related to a baby.

It isn't great, but it is entertaining.