Outstanding Performance by Pacino

Rating: 9/10 (28 May 2002)

The breathtaking beauty of a remote area of Alaska provides the setting for this film, and the natural splendor of the surroundings offers a thought provoking contrast between the serenity of the landscape and the ugliness visited upon it by one of it's inhabitants. In the thriller `Insomnia,' director Christopher Nolan examines the myriad faces of evil and the far-reaching effects of wrongdoing, whether perpetrated straightforwardly as a heinous crime, or in the ill conceived notion of subverting the law in a quest for justice. But he also looks beyond the objectivity of premeditation at how certain physical variables can subjectively affect the psychological aspects of the duplicity. Specifically, what happens to the body-- and especially to the mind-- when deprived of sleep for an extended period of time. And especially when it comes at a critical juncture; at a time when, above all else, the mind must be absolutely clear and sharp, when judgments must be passed and decisions made. Can a web of deceit, woven amid a struggle between the mind and the body, stand fast? And if so, for how long? How long can one prevail against the proclivities of human nature, in a place where the sun never sets, and the mind cannot find rest.
L.A. detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino), and his partner, Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan), have been given a special assignment: The investigation of the murder of a seventeen-year-old girl in the small town of Nightmute, Alaska. Their detail comes on the heels of a certain internal affairs investigation currently being conducted within the L.A.P.D., which may involve the high-profile Dormer, a good cop who has been putting away the bad guys for more years than he can remember. And if the I.A. affair goes south, some criminals Dormer has been instrumental in convicting may see freedom. So the change of venue for the detectives comes at an auspicious time; sometimes distance can be a good thing.
Dormer goes into the case with the confidence provided him by years on the job. He is lucid, and on top of things immediately. What he finds in Nightmute, however, is a killer who is not only meticulous, but who has a wild card up his sleeve and begins to play it not long after Dormer hits town. It's the time of year when the sun never sets, and the killer realizes that it is going to affect Dormer's sleep, and subsequently, his perceptions and actions. And he's determined to help the situation along with some untimely phone calls and some well chosen words. Dormer's onto the game immediately, but after a couple of days of sleeplessness, his mental faculties begin to deteriorate, and it leads to a situation involving Eckhart that puts an entirely new spin on the matters at hand. Things get sticky, and Dormer's judgment becomes questionable. He struggles to keep himself together, because he knows one thing for certain: The killer has crossed a line from which there is no return, and he's going to kill again. And it's up to Dormer to stop him before it happens.
As with his previous effort, `Memento,' Christopher Nolan has crafted and delivered a film that is emotionally stirring and initially, at least, devoid of any absolutes (or if there are any, they are soon lost in Dormer's sleeplessness induced mental haze), to which he adds a moral dilemma that makes it all entirely involving and which successfully draws the audience into the action as the story unfolds. it becomes an incisive character study that affords you Dormer's perspective while allowing you to experience his situation seemingly first hand. Nolan gradually takes you from the rational thought processes that to Dormer are the norm, to the murky regions of the ambiguous into which he descends as the sleeplessness overcomes and overwhelms him. And the fact that Dormer's impaired mental state is so significant-- inasmuch as the direction it takes the story-- makes this a rather unique film; it's an interesting angle, and quite different from the usual considerations offered by the typical crime/thriller/drama. Most importantly, Nolan knows how to present it effectively, and builds the tension in direct proportion to Dormer's descent, which maintains that necessary edge right up to the climax.
By the end of the film, Pacino/Dormer really looks as though he hasn't slept in days; it's a critical aspect of the story, upon which the credibility of the film depends, and which it achieves, without question. Some credit has to go to the make-up provided by Gitte Axen, but ultimately, what makes this film so convincing-- and such an unqualified success-- is Al Pacino's performance. As he demonstrates here, he is arguably one of the top two leading actors in the business (the other being De Niro). He has the ability to create a completely new character with every new film, and he's always convincing, whether taking it over-the-top (Tony Montana, `Scarface'; Vincent Hanna, `Heat'), using a more introspective approach (Michael Corleone, `The Godfather') or finding the necessary reserve that fits a particular character and makes him believable (as he does here with Will Dormer). This is a studied portrayal, presented in subtle shadings and tone, and one that should easily earn him an Oscar nomination.
Turning in a solid performance, also, is Robin Williams, who seems to be taking a page out of Pacino's book by finding the kind of restraint he needed to make his character work. Williams has played a variety of roles in his career, but never has he played so against type as his portrayal of Walter Finch in this film; and he does it well. He's entirely convincing-- his Finch is very real and disquietingly believable, in that his outward appearance is so normal, while in reality he is capable of deeds most vile. His true nature is undetectable, and as such, he's your worst nightmare. It makes Dormer's conundrum even more pronounced, and helps to make `Insomnia' a riveting and thoroughly engrossing film. 9/10.