Atmospheric thriller. Robin Williams does a great bad guy

Rating: 7/10 (11 February 2015)

A good thriller this one, atmospheric, taught and keeps you guessing. I sure do like Robin Williams in these roles as the bad guy, (also check out One Hour Photo) he is so good, creepy in an understated way. Al Pacino gives a great performance here too, conflicted, stressed and slowly unraveling from lack of sleep. I think his character stays awake for 6 days and it was fascinating to watch him try to cover his expanding pack of lies while going crazy. (Director) Nolan sure likes to torture his leads in unique ways.
Insomnia takes place in a remote Alaskan town where, because its summer the sun doesn't set. Two Los Angeles detectives are dispatched there to investigate the homicide of a young girl (why, I'm not sure). Hilary Swank plays an impressionable young officer who meets their seaplane -I liked her here, trying to impress Al Pacino as the folklorish cop hero.
While apprehending the suspect Al accidentally (?) shoots his partner and then covers it up, giving the lurking Robin Williams killer character blackmail ammunition against him. These two have some great scenes together, cat and mousing their way through the second half.
The scenery is beautiful here, unique especially if you don't know better as I found myself distracted at times by Squamish (B.C) posing as Alaska with shots of the Chief, the mill, Chieftain pub, Britannia beach etc. A good thriller. 2/9/15