Iris the hooker could have been a great one-scene part; Marky Post, described as having just passed away, is suggested with an 80s hairdo and a cocktail dress. — Bill Simmons
It was a lost scene, seemingly to save money, needing a hot 80s actress who could click with Cruise. — Bill Simmons
A joke category about which part a co-host wishes he could have played points to Lenny, who is close to Pantoliano's Midnight Run character.
Joey Pants as Lenny is called a much better recasting-couch answer than the earlier Iris pick, with a Guido the Killer Pimp reunion with Cruise; a voice then says "I changed my answer." — Bill Simmons
The brothers' idea took a couple of years to develop; Newmarket gave it a $4.5 million budget and screened it for studio heads in March 2000, who liked it but thought it too confusing. — Bill Simmons
After Soderbergh's championing, Newmarket distributed it themselves, reached 500 theaters, made $25 million domestic and sold international rights. — Bill Simmons
Was there a second attacker?; How did Leonard's wife die?; Joe Pantoliano as Eddie Moscone; Memento in the phone-video era; Is Leonard in a mental institution?; Did it borrow from Mr. Short-Term Memory?; Why no sequels?
Was there a second attacker? One view says no, meaning Leonard is Sammy Jankis. — Chris Ryan
How his wife died is debated: an attack causes his memory loss, and his memory of grabbing her thigh leads him to insist she did not take insulin. — Chris Ryan
Nolan has said people refuse to believe Teddy because he is so oily, yet Teddy elsewhere tells elaborate stories that prove false; the conclusion leans toward Leonard being Sammy Jankis after an attack on his wife. — Chris Ryan
In the era of phone video Leonard could vlog every interaction, which might be the Netflix series, though he would keep forgetting to charge his iPhone. — Chris Ryan
The shot where Sammy in the mental institution is replaced by Leonard in the chair leaves open whether Leonard is institutionalized. — Bill Simmons
Did the film take from Tom Hanks's Mr. Short-Term Memory sketch on SNL, perhaps discussed on the Nolan brothers' road trip? — Bill Simmons
Why no ten sequels like Saw? A Memento 2 should have happened, such as a Super Bowl plot or one set inside the Patriots during Spygate. — Bill Simmons
Carrie-Anne Moss, coming out of The Matrix, is at her Apex here since it did not lead to much more. — Bill Simmons
Georgia Fox is at Apex: it has never been better for her as she moves from ER to CSI. — Bill Simmons
CSI's revival prompts a tangent about Peterson living nearby, the L.A. code of not approaching him, his being the backup choice for a Goodfellas role, and a vow to do To Live and Die in L.A. — Bill Simmons
Christopher Nolan and Steven Toblowski are not at Apex; the discount inn motel is, since it was never more prominent. — Bill Simmons
Joey Pants is not at Apex here; his Matrix-Memento run is nice, but his Apex comes soon after with The Sopranos. — Bill Simmons
This is the Apex for anterograde amnesia; other amnesia candidates include Kelly Taylor on 90210, Overboard, Lost, Liam Neeson in Unknown and soap operas. — Bill Simmons
A wish to get amnesia to relive all the Boston sports titles closes the amnesia bit. — Bill Simmons
Tan suits are added as one more Apex; Pearce keeps his crisp despite living in it. — Chris Ryan
The producer is asked for a ruling on whether Joey Pants automatically wins when he is in the movie; the question of an automatic win has never really been decided. — Bill Simmons
Joey Pants should win automatically, with a runner-up who would inherit a vacated title like a college bowl champion. — Bill Simmons
The class is loaded: Joey Pants, Imperioli as Jojo with the 'you're selling tires' exchange, the liquor store guy, and John Salley, whose standing up is a sight gag. — Bill Simmons
Max gets the award: her death hurts every time, and Will Smith is attached to her while juggling many women. — Bill Simmons
Chet the doorman is in the conversation but is not the pick. — Logan Murdock
Pick: Jojo, the Imperioli character, a dopey informant played by a young actor with great things ahead; Chet was hysterical too, but it goes to Jojo. — Van Lathan
The only answer is the captain, who is in about three scenes and kills it every time with the 'you are Mike Lowry... you be you, but not in front of her' routine. — Logan Murdock
The captain is felt to be better in the next movie and a bit muted here, though his Michael Jordan reference is a buzzer-beater and no one but Martin goes at Will like he does. — Logan Murdock
The captain is conceded as the correct answer, yet Max remains a personal pick; an objection says this is the Dion Waiters Award, not a DJ Banga Award, and the reply is about being as upset as Will Smith every time Max dies. — Bill Simmons
Michael Jordan retirement joke; Joey Pants basketball scene; kids snitching on their father; internal affairs character; no OJ joke; Volvo hatchback undercover car
The Jordan joke ('retired like him too') aged worst in five seconds because Jordan had already returned before release. — Bill Simmons
Carjacking scenes feel less special than in the 90s, though being surprised by one is argued to have almost aged best; modern cars and phones make them unlikely.
Joey Pants shooting hoops with a cigar, his shots sailing over the backboard, is baffling. — Bill Simmons
The Club Hell car chase is called shoehorned, with a counterpoint that it is needed so Marcus's family sees him on the news. — Logan Murdock
Kids snitching on their father aged worst; the reply is that kids are snitches who sell out dad for mom.
The internal affairs character played by Helgenberger, who had a strong career, is a wet blanket like the Lethal Weapon psychologist; a counterpoint says the role is needed for urgency, but it needed someone funny. — Bill Simmons
Julie tagging along with her call-girl friend is questioned, with others labeled Julie defenders and a reminder to protect sex workers. — Bill Simmons
With no OJ joke, a stealth reference would have pinned the film in early 1995; it was likely filmed in summer 94. — Bill Simmons
Martin's outfits, especially the vest over a tank top, are called terrible; a counterpoint says people dressed like that, with an eighth-grade vest story.
A Volvo hatchback is too slow for an undercover car, like having a Prius. — Logan Murdock
