A taut drama that will leave YOU unable to sleep!

Rating: Null/10 (27 May 2002)

Wow. Superb direction; outstanding performances by literally everyone; an unsettling story that is riveting and yet actually painful to watch. Insomnia is not a pretty film, and what it has to say about human nature is not heartening. The film's 'beat' is always right on, though, and the cinematography is astounding. You are teased and brought along very slowly, yet the film's pacing seems, at times, to be almost frenetic. I must admit this is not a film to watch 'over and over again,' because it is simply too intense, at times, to bear. But this is the kind of film that will stay with you and fill your mind's eye with its pictures for days and weeks to come. The plot is actually quite simple; a detective comes to Alaska to help a friend on the force there solve a local murder. We slowly find out there is a pall of suspicion over the man and his partner. The detective masterfully outwits the killer and almost traps him; but thanks to a mistake by another cop, the killer is alerted --- in the ensuing chase, the detective 'accidentally' shoots his partner; and the killer witnesses it and begins to blackmail the detective. The light of a 24 hour day wears the detective down, and we watch him physically and emotionally unravel. Robin Williams was superb, and this was the best acting by Al Pacino in years. Released (as it was) in the middle of a series of blockbusters, I doubt it will make huge box office. But I hope people find time for it; it deserves a big audience.