So, you see how Following is a unique mystery, ( Cobb may follow the young man, but in a sense, he is leading and misleading Cobb. Cobb lies when he breaks into his own place. The young man notes that the owner must be boring and poor. He himself breaks into his girlfriends apartment with Cobb. Cobb enjoys this, keeping a stolen memento, a trophy. The man later murders the girl, leaving Cobb holding the evidence that he was indeed in her apartment. He had been tricked, as was the audience.) and you see the cleverness of Inception. (There is not only ambiguity but each level has a maze that Dom is not suppose to know. It seems the white line here is the course, where first the train follows, later it goes off the bridge, and gets hidden in the white snow. Many scenes trace their origin, their genesis, to earlier films such as: In her Majesty's Secret Service, Stairway to Heaven, Last Night in Marienbad, Paprika, and Dreamscape to name a few. Whether his wife is really dead, whether he is dreaming in all but the Mombasa dream den, or even the ending; I leave to you.)
Memento is a mental maze of confusion. Who is Leonard's wife? Who is John G? Who is Sammy Jankis? Who is Edward Gammell? Many believe Gammell is a cop. However he does not act like a cop, but more of a drug dealer. He certainly is not the cop Natalie talks to since Gammell has been to the bar and watched Jimmy selling drugs with Natalie and the coasters. Gammell is the owner of the Discount Inn. The one Bert warns Leonard about in his two (actually three) rooms. Leonard's tattoo is a lie, as Gammell knows it to be. But, Gammell does not know who Leonard's wife was. He makes up a story because Leonard is hunting John Gammell, and getting closer. The old adage to 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer' is true here. Anytime someone speaks to Leonard about his wife, it is a lie. While Leonard killed at least two people, neither of them were the true John G. Gammell being John G. is not a one in a million coincidence. So who was Sammy Jankis? Sammy was Leonard's lover back in San Francisco. What happened to him? The "remember Sammy Jankis" is a reminder of Sammy. Gammell it seems was guilty of raping Leonard, knowing he would not remember the incident. But, he did remember to get the 'John G raped' tattoo. What became of Sammy, as mentioned on Leonard's hand? He Left! (Sammy is written on his left hand and the anagram of Jankis forms kanjis. Kanji are tattoos with a second or secret meaning.)
