Just watched the movie and I'm confused
So did his wife really get attacked and killed or was it just all in Leonard's head? Was the story about Sammy really about him and he accidentally killed his wife?
shareHe was attacked, and she was raped, but this is where his authentic memories end and confabulation starts. He *concludes* that she was killed during the attack, but in truth it is not so. With time (and repetition), he glues parts of real Sammy story - alleged memory loss, insurance claims, investigation - with parts of his own - real memory loss, desperate wife, insulin - into a coherent narration that allows him to live with the feeling of guilt that he doesn't know where it comes from. He persuades himself that his fault is about telling Sammy's wife (non-existent) things that pushed her into suicide, while in reality he acted as an instrument of suicide for his own wife. He can bear the former, but not the latter.
shareCouldn't Leonard's wife still be alive?
Assuming Teddy lied to inflict some huge guilt on Leonard. Teddy takes the story of Sammy's wife and uses it against Leonard. Teddy may know the details of Leonard's attack but could only know Sammy through Leonard. therefor, how can he definitively say that sammy wasn't married and faked his condition?
Why would Leonard attempt to create a story of a lie to recreate guilt? That is not lying to oneself to make one happy. If anything, Leonard should adopt Teddy's story to gain sympathy and help from others. Nolan too helps us a bit. He says clearly that new memories can not be formed (in his own version of this condition, not medical fact...his own words) Leonard can only remember from notes, tattoos, and pictures.
Leonard does not have a written story of Sammy to recreate a lie. If he were to lie, he would not have a memory to hide or recreate. He can't even remember that "remember Sammy Jankis" is a real tattoo.
Leonard can follow routine, according to Nolan. By repeatedly using his camera, he has the routine of taking pictures of everything and everyone. Nolan uses the example of putting something in your pocket, like keys. When you need your keys, you automatically/by routine, reach into that pocket without having to think...'where are my keys". This is routine.
Leonard tells everyone his wife was murdered. But, his recreation with the call girl shows otherwise. Leonard tricks himself into believing she's alive (or at least trying to) Having her mementos (hairbrush, book) play a big part of this. The recreation wouldn't work if he woke up knowing she was dead. Thus, Leonard does not consciously know what became of his wife. He has no reason to remember her committing suicide. However, he may need to think she's dead in order to kill John G (rape would only allow him to beat the man, perhaps. Right? He needs her dead to have the rage to kill).
One part wrong is Leonard saying 'Sammy took too many notes". Leonard has the big piles of paper. Sammy can't even write down "Ellen called" because he can't remember having memory loss. Leonard uses Sammy to remind himself of his own memory loss. (Nolan says this) This is the only reason for Leonard to remember Sammy. He doesn't need him to take the blame for killing Leonard's wife in some confabulated story. Leonard tried to prove that Sammy was not disabled by his memory loss but could lead a functional life. Thus, Leonard says he wasn't faking it. That's the point.
this is where Teddy's lie could work but only if Leonard's wife was also diabetic. Leonard may reject the idea of his wife being diabetic because he is fearful that Teddy's story (twisting Sammy and Leonard) could then be true.
I think there is much less coincidence that Sammy and Leonard both had a diabetic wife than a John G is helping to kill a John G. It seems likely that Leonard was mad at John Gammell and inserted his name as the unknown second assailant. So, Teddy hunts around for any John G for Leonard to chase. He's a bad guy, not the good guy. Who knows? Maybe one of John Gammell's enemies convinced Leonard to get that tattoo. It seems more likely the tattoo is false, than for him to know the name of the attacker. Especially, when the police report shows there was no proof of a second attacker. Couldn't Teddy have invented the second attacker story? or Leonard for that matter?
either way, Leonard is "living a dream" "A dead wife to pine for" there's actually no proof that she is dead. Teddy never actually says she is dead. Perhaps that is why Leonard still dreams that they can be reunited, still dreams she is alive.
Best unknown feature at IMDB.com
http://www.imdb.com/features/video/browse/