Insomnia Movie Information

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Movie Information

Overall Rank: 3096

Average Rating: 2.7/4

# of Ratings: 231

Theatrical Release Date: 05/24/2002

Language: English

Genre: Crime, Drama

MPAA Rating: R

Director: Christopher Nolan

Actors: Al Pacino, Martin Donovan, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Nicky Katt, Larry Holden

Plot: Two detectives go to a small, northern town where the sun never completely sets to investigate some murders. -- sapien

Indyfreak - wrote on 03/18/2020

Another winner for Christopher Nolan, this riveting psychological thriller features a great performance by Al Pacino and a magnificent turn by Robin Williams playing against-type. Hillary Swank serves as the moral center and is also good. The film builds to a satisfying confrontation except the ending is rather abrupt.

Logan D. McCoy - wrote on 06/06/2019

Despite the intriguing detective story, "Insomnia" isn't as impressive as it thinks it is.

mitchellyoung - wrote on 04/25/2012

Nolan slowly builds this thriller frame by frame, until it reaches its chilling conclusion. The film works so well because it is built on a fantastic cat-and-mouse relationship between heroes and villain, with 3-D characters that are backed by immersive acting performances. Robin Williams, particularly, plays against his comedic type and is spellbinding in a very different role for him. The film's play with shadows and lighting is almost a character in and of itself.

Matthew Brady
Movie God

"Don't lose your way".

Matthew Brady - wrote on 09/02/2014

Det. Will Dormer: "Don't lose your way". The story is about Al Pacino as Detective Will Dormer, a Los Angeles Police Department legend who temporarily escapes an internal affairs investigation that may ruin his career by traveling to Nightmute, AK, the remote site of a murder that has the local authorities flummoxed. Along with his partner, Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan), and the small town's wide-eyed rookie investigator, Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), the exhausted Dormer probes the brutal slaying of a teenage girl who was rumored to have a secret lover. A clever ruse quickly lures the killer into a police trap, but the suspect escapes and a tragic accident at the scene leaves Dormer at the mercy of the murderer, a pulp crime novelist named Walter Finch (Robin Williams). As Finch plays a …

sreekirch
Director

A potent thriller with power packed Pacino

sreekirch - wrote on 10/06/2012

Insomnia is a psychological thriller directed by Christopher Nolan. The basic theme, is about crime investigation. Not in million times I have seen, crime thrillers. But as far as Insomnia is considered, it is a good theme. A perfect scenario is set. A perfect Alaskan location for the gripping tale. So one might be aware of psychological stunner from Nolan in the form of Memento. After memento, insomnia is a film that keeps a good grip.

A crime scene is set in Alaska where a 17 year old girl is murdered. Los Angeles cops Dormer played by Pacino and Eckhart, come to find clues behind murder and catch the culprit. Dormer traps the culprit, but in a gritty fog location, Dormer shoots his own partner. He hides the truth and calls for help. Having insomnia due to this, he behaves …

Yojimbo
Movie God

"insomnia" by Yojimbo

Yojimbo - wrote on 01/22/2012

A Los Angeles detective under investigation by internal affairs flies to Alaska to assist in the investigation of the murder of a 17 year old girl. I'd been avoiding this one despite the highly promising combination of Pacino and Nolan, mainly because of the highly unpromising presence of Robin Williams. This kind of gimmicky casting can occasionally pay dividends, but usually backfires disastrously. Here, thankfully, Williams acquits himself adequately and fails to wreck the film. It unsurprisingly belongs lock, stock and barrel to Pacino who is as strong as always, giving a very human portrayal of a good cop with frailties forced into an unwanted and unwilling alliance with the murder suspect he is pursuing. For me, more could've been made of the psychological and hallucinatory effects …