Review by Michael J. Mazza
Rating:
In “Insomnia,” directed by Christopher Nolan, Al Pacino plays Will Dormer, a Los Angeles police detective. While a controversy swirls around him and his partner, Dormer travels to a small town in Alaska to help with a murder investigation. This assignment leads him into a tension-filled cat-and-mouse game with creepy mystery writer Walter Finch (played by Robin Williams). As an added twist, the story takes place during the Alaskan summer, when there is endless daylight; amidst this inescapable light, Dormer suffers from the malady of the film’s title.”Insomnia” is a gripping, stylishly made film. The gritty action sequences have a low-tech realism that is a welcome change from the typically overdone Hollywood action thing. The performances are outstanding. Williams gets a lot of mileage out of his effectively low-key interpretation of Finch. Veteran character actor Paul Dooley brings warmth and subtle authority to his role as a small town cop, and Hilary Swank is a superb foil for Pacino in her role as an eager young cop. Pacino is excellent as the film’s flawed protagonist. His performance is truly harrowing.”Insomnia” succeeds as a suspense drama. The motif of endless daylight is well used throughout the film, and is weighted with potential symbolic meaning. More than just a good thriller, “Insomnia” also raises some relevant moral and ethical issues.

Review by Jon Eric Davidson
Rating:
Having seen the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, I was eager to see how the American-ized version of “Insomnia” would play out. Without delving too far into the comparisons that have been thoroughly detailed in prior reviews, I will say that this is one of the finer examples of how to film a remake. This version of “Insomnia” takes place in a remote Alaskan port city, and revolves around the murder of a young girl. However, as the movie unfolds, the murder slowly becomes only a small piece of a much more expansive, provoking, intense character drama. From a cinematographical perspective, the haunting beauty of Alaska is captured perfectly. In a way unique when compared to other films, the landscape is intertwined with the plot, further exposing the loneliness and isolation, while paradoxically highlighting its stark contrast with murder, death, and psychological demons. The sequence of the hunt/shooting amidst a thick, impenetrable fog is riveting and conveys a high level of tension, as the viewer shares in the disorientation the fog creates. “Insomnia” is driven by characters and acting, and a strong cast is assembled. Al Pacino – as expected – is wonderful in his portrayal of the world-weary city cop who escapes an Internal Affairs investigation by coming to investigate this murder. In many ways, we have seen Mr. Pacino in this role on numerous occasion, and he demonstrates this with the comfortable ease in which he carries his role. However, as his sleep-deprivation – caused by the long hours of daylight – intensifies, Mr. Pacino takes his character to a remarkable next level, as he battles to cover his questionable investigative practices and battle the psychological demons tied to similar practices in cases being investigated by Internal Affairs back in Los Angeles. As a viewer, you can empathize with his character, while at the same time watch in amazement as he struggles to keep himself from completely unraveling. Robin Williams is equally strong as the author-turned-murderer. Like Mr. Pacino, we have seen Mr. Williams in roles similar to this, and yet he is so good at pulling it off that you couldn’t see any other person carrying such a role. His quiet, brooding character is psychologically scary; one senses that a violent, psychotic rage is bubbling just beneath his placid exterior. Also, Mr. Williams uses his comedic facial reactions to maximize the creepiness of his character. A couple of times he flashes a muted smile that subtly conveys the twisted pleasure he has in his cat-and-mouse game with Mr. Pacino’s character. He is subdued, but brilliant, in this role. Hilary Swank also shines as the young, impressionable cop who ultimately uncovers Mr. Pacino’s attempts to cover up the accidental shooting of his partner. She wonderfully evolves from one overcome with “hero-worship” in working with Mr. Pacino’s character to one disheartened and mildly angry when she finds that her “idol” isn’t who he is cracked up to be. Ms. Swank more than adequately holds her own in sharing the screen with Mr. Pacino and Mr. Williams, which is no small feat. The climatic ending to the film is perhaps slightly cliched in its quick tying up of loose storylines, but it plays well here. In its progression, you weren’t quite sure how things were going to be resolved after the teenage suspect is arrested (falsely) for murder. One would almost have the sense that the movie could have ended with several loose ends hanging, allowing the viewer to ponder the outcome. But, there was instead the dramatic shootout, which ultimately was a satisfying resolution and conclusion to the film.All told, “Insomnia” was a very solid, quiet, tense drama that is worth the time to see. I give it a four-star rating, and recommend it to anyone seeking a good character-driven movie that is free of overwhelming special effects and action sequences. People seeking a fast-paced drama might want to steer clear, as they might find the pacing of this film to be too slow for their tastes.