chunk: The black-and-white sequences begin with Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) in a motel room speaking to an unnamed telephone caller who is not shown on-screen. Leonard has anterograde amnesia and is unable to store recent memories, the result of an attack by two men. Leonard explains that he killed the attacker who raped and strangled his wife (Jorja Fox), but a second clubbed him and escaped. The police did not accept that there was a second attacker, but Leonard believes the attacker's name is John or James, with a last name starting with G. Leonard conducts his own investigation using a system of notes, Polaroids, and tattoos. As an insurance investigator, Leonard recalls one Sammy Jankis (Stephen Tobolowsky), also diagnosed with the same condition. Sammy's diabetic wife (Harriet Sansom Harris), who was not sure if his condition was genuine, repeatedly requested insulin injections to try to get him to break his act. As a result of these requests she overdoses, subsequently falling into a