Manipulation inside and out

I decided to skim through the Memento Wikipedia page before writing my blog post this week. I was curious as to how they shot the film. I discovered that Guy Pearce (Leonard), Joey Pantoliano (Teddy), and Carrie-Anne Moss (Natalie) only shot together on the first day of the 25-day shooting. It had not occurred to me until reading this that there really are not that many scenes with Leonard and Teddy, and Leonard and Natalie. Even so, Christopher Nolan was able to craft a thrilling and compelling first half of a film, and I expect the second half to continue the same way. His writing and editing manipulate the viewer to think much more footage was shot that actually was. Nolan is able to stretch a few scenes into a full-length film (at least for the first half). A fraction of the movie is interactions between the three main characters. Otherwise it has mostly been the scenes of Leonard on the phone. The nonlinear plotline manipulates us into thinking there is more happening than there actually is.