Review: Insomnia

It may not be the summer's happiest movie, but it might be the best (and there isn't a single marching digital Army, special effect, or marketing tie-in involved!). Hilary Swank and Robin Williams co-star in this dark tale of murder and redemption, but it's really Al Pacino's movie from beginning to end. And he was born to play the role of the exhausted, tough, morally confused LA homicide cop pursued by the do-gooders from Internal Affairs (IA), sent off to Alaska to help an old pal solve a vicious killing. The plot is a touch cheesy at moments, but the film is wonderfully acted, and beautifully shot. It's also dark, a great and timely movie. This isn't a take-your-mind-off-your-troubles summer flick. Neither is it a mega-epic. SPOILAGE WARNING: Plot discussed, not ending.

Far from home, subject to the endless sunlight of the Alaskan winter, Pacino (Detective Will Dormer) is drawn into a bleak, clever moral thriller. You have to pay careful attention to this movie, and even if you do, you'll end up doubting yourself, much as Pacino does. Against the backdrop of Spider-man and Clones and all the attendant hype, this is an almost refreshingly simple movie. It's all about acting and plot.

Pacino is up there because an old pal is running a tiny Alaskan police department, in over its collective head after a young girl is brutally and sadistically murdered. Pacino swaggers in, spotting all of the things the locals have missed, and is stunned and enraged to learn from his partner Martin Donovan (who plays LA Det. Hap Eckhart) that Hap is about to fess up to IA about various past wrongdoing, including Dormer's having planted fake evidence to catch a child-killer. This testimony will result in any number of killers going free, including the child-killer. It will also end Dormer's career.

Soon after, Hap is shot while the two are setting a trap for the local killer. This is really the heart of the movie -- a searing, twisting and turning moral agony for Dormer who, driven nearly mad by the insomnia he experiences in the long Alaskan day, tries, along with local police novice Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank) to understand what has happened, and what ought to be done about it. The fact that it isn't clear -- to him or to us -- what happened to Hap -- gives the movie a taut, gripping edge. Pacino has a tendency to overplay roles sometimes -- as in Heat -- but here, he is at perfect pitch. It's a knockout performance.

Christopher Nolan also does an amazing job of using Alaska as a backdrop from the opening scene, almost as a character. There is one stunning shot after another, putting the story into a particular context. Taking an embittered, wise-ass LA cop and putting him in this misty, eerie setting is a masterstroke, and Nolan makes the most of it. Day by day, Pacino becomes more disoriented fatigued and confused. He also is taunted by Walter Finch, the chief suspect in the local killing, and a creepy psycho who tries to blackmail Dormer into dropping the investigation, or steering it in another direction. Finch claims to have evidence against Dormer regarding Hap's shooting, and the two of them begin a cat-and-mouse game you know can't have a happy outcome.

Williams's doesn't seem to quite pull this off. He isn't creepy enough here -- think John Malkovich or Jeremy Irons. He doesn't get under your skin quite the way he ought to. But that's the only significant flaw in the summer's best thriller by far -- also a refreshing change of pace from the mega-movies and their marketing tie-ins. This is a psychological drama, a portrait beautifully rendered by a master actor. There isn't an explosion, thundering army, or special affect in it. Just a dark, powerful story about life, reality and hard choices, along with some amazing acting, and some of the best cinematography you'll see in a while.

Comments

A point to ponder

[Thatmushroom]

Hmmm, something is odd here. The writing style is relatively lucid and clear, and there is no refrence to the post-September 11th world that we live in. There's only one logical answer: Katz cloned himself and made a few improvements while he was at it.

Hey, even Jango had to hand over the family business to Boba eventually.

But Jon...

[CaseyB]

What I want to know is, how does this film re-examine traditional cultural myths in the post-9/11 world?

What's more amazing is that it had no teenage ...

[JoeGee]

... boobs, no masturbation jokes, and apparently has a bit of appeal to individuals who think.

Katz actually *got* this movie, which to me is either a credit to the screenwriter (for using small words) or the director (for keeping the moviegoer's attention carefully focused by using conspicuously-placed shiny objects in each frame.)

Actually Katz is probably a thoughtful, intelligent fellow -- I shouldn't be so hard on him. It shocks me: just when I thought I completely understood his taste in films he comes along and likes a movie that somehow manages to avoid ten explosions per minute, one gratuitous segment focusing on jiggling female anatomy, and booger/fart/erection jokes.

Perhaps Satan *is* ice skating today.

Re:I saw this last week.

[Zalgon 26 McGee]

And if you do go to Alaska, you may be disappointed - "Insomnia" was filmed in British Columbia.

Buy Him Some Anti-Fungal Lotion Next Time...

[PRickard]

The movie was good, overall.. The plot twists were nice, although I wish the ending went a little bit beyond where it did. Oh well.

Only thing that really bothered me about Insomina was Al Pacino's fingernails... GAH! They have medications for that now, man, might want to check into it. I'm sure you can afford whatever they charge, just get something done before those nails completely pop off and you have to pay a guy to pick up paper for you.