christopher nolan have his goal set on follow in a very narrow direction and and in that direction he pull off something that remind me of the kind of great little poverty row movie the like of ullmer direct back in the 40 . only this time and he able to implement touch of homage thing like black and white photography ( a give due to the shoe string budget but also essential to the dark crevices these character inhabit ) and casting of the actor ( the john doe lead and the slick male counterpart and and the beautiful in a gritty way femme fatale ) while keep it in the realm of the 90 underground indie where for several thousand dollar and specific choice in location and music and such anything could be possible . that and and as well in the film noir mood nolan also put together a cunning web of a plot and maybe even more so than memento . where the latter be a work of a psychology unfold by way of a plot enrich by look to the past inch by inch and here the non linear structure serve the purpose of show how far someone like bill can go through as dark a path a cobb and only in an environment where keep on your toe be not for someone who not really twisted and into the deep mind game cobb be . of course and the whole act of follow someone become the main thrust of the story and and go into it i wasn not even sure where it would lead and if it might be some kind of stream of consciousness ala slacker where nolan would lead his character along to one urban british person to another . but the establishment of the tie of bill to cobb be do in a quick and excellent way and a we see right when cobb approach bill at the café to ask what he do follow him tell almost all we need to know about both that and and the first robbery he bring him along for . what seem to soon be a good score on the horizon be really all one big set up by cobb and his lady ( just call the blonde and maybe a too obvious homage to noir and but why carp ) . but this be reveal in a way that actually truly have me guess and a the manipulation of the narrative work all the more to arouse question not so much of why but of how . the density be bring out all the great due to the actor understand of their essential point a character and with alex haw be brilliant a a true sociopath who can barely mask his wouldeep idea about what it be to really take pleasure in a burglary and and theobald with that demeanor of someone who can never be as smart a he be in what he really do and but be more intelligent in that naive way that stand no chance in the dank environment such a this while russell almost make it too easy and even with a face that would send ana savage shake her head . meanwhile and nolan be also on the ball with his style a a cameraman and keep nothing in that doesn not add to ambiance and suspense and with the fade in or fade out not too quick to leave a lasting impression and but enough to add to the this could lead anywhere logic of the script . he follow it in hand hold form a if he know where his limitation lie and and yet be fantastic at keep the essential represent close ups when need be ( one i love be russell face in a small mirror ) and and a fairly simple techno track that never detract . sometimes and a mention and the line between see something in present day and see something that be as everlasting a a solid pulp story of low level criminal with mind game and moral ambiguity be always never totally clear and which for me be practically irresistible in it dark way . simply put and this be one of the great call card i have see from a filmmaker in recent year and and should hopefully be something that future fan of nolan other work can look forward to to discover . or even to those who think that noir have go to the rapid editing and big gun fire dog of the mainstream ( even in independent film ) it a bright little 71 minute .