This week’s Under the Radar spotlights “Insomnia,” a 2002 thriller/crime film directed by Christopher Nolan. Graphic credit: Kyle Quinlan
Under The Radar is a weekly film column that highlights underappreciated and overlooked movies of the past.
“Insomnia” (2002)
Genre: Thriller/Crime
Starring: Al Pacino, Robin WIlliams, Hilary Swank
Director: Christopher Nolan
Everybody loves a good detective story: a mystery in which an outside investigator has to find the killer on the loose before it’s too late. And when paired with director Christopher Nolan’s magical touch, “Insomnia” is a match made in Alaskan heaven.
To investigate the murder of a teenage girl, Los Angeles detectives Will Dormer (Al Pacino) and Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan) are flown into the small town of Nightmute, Alaska, where the sun refuses to set for months at a time.
With the help of a local wide-eyed detective named Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), striking evidence and new suspects spiral the investigation into a complex case that just doesn’t seem to add up.
As constant sunlight “plagues” the small town, sleepless nights create a whole new challenge for Dormer, as he enters a psychological battle against his own sanity and the killer’s meticulous manipulation.
Undoubtedly Nolan’s least talked about and most overlooked movie — you’re not worthy of that title, “Following” — it’s fair to wonder if “Insomnia” is worth a watch. The simplest answer is “Hell, yes!”
Why “Insomnia” is a Must-Watch
One of the film’s many assets stems from the acting department, which boasts a strong string of performances from its headliners.
Pacino wonderfully plays the role of a veteran cop with flexible morals, whose lack of sleep genuinely seems to be getting the best of him. His sickly appearance, spacey dialogue and massive eye bags all become more obvious as the movie progresses and make viewers feel as if they haven’t slept in days either.
Much like how old-man Larry Bird’s go-to move was lying on the sidelines to help with back pain, old-man Al’s go-to acting move is shouting about various nonsense with all his might.
As is the case with most of his dramatic roles, Robin Williams is fantastic as the town’s resident shady author. One of the prime suspects, Williams dances perfectly along the lines of portraying both a twisted psychopath and a man who wouldn’t hurt a fly. The best scenes contain dialogue exchanged between Williams’ and Pacino’s characters, connecting with each other via chess-like verbal combat.
Swank doesn’t have as much to chew on as Pacino or Williams, but she nevertheless gives a charming performance that provides a much-needed softness to this cold-hearted thriller.
Placing a detective mystery in the ever-sunny Alaskan setting creates an almost uncanny atmosphere, as the film’s plot would typically warrant dark lighting in a big city like New York or Los Angeles. Instead, viewers are confronted with a brightly lit thriller, featuring beautiful wide shots of glaciers and a stunning chase sequence set on floating logs.
The Reception, The Legacy
IMDb: 7.2/10
Letterboxd: 3.5/5
Budget: $46 million
Worldwide Box Office: $114 million
“Insomnia” has developed a bad rap in recent years by constantly being compared to Nolan’s other works, but if the film had a different director’s name in the credits, it would definitely be more appreciated today.
I will not attempt to explain why and how “Insomnia” is actually Nolan’s magnum opus, mostly because it’s not. But what remains true after all his years of filmmaking is that a low-tier Nolan flick is still a high-tier movie.
Killing it at the box office and garnering a positive reception, “Insomnia” has no doubt aged oddly due to Nolan’s present-day success. The film paved the way for future Nolan blockbusters, giving him a sizable $46 million budget to play with.
Beyond its large budget, “Insomnia” was also Nolan’s first film under the Warner Bros. Pictures umbrella, serving as a trial run of sorts for the emergent director. Working with big names such as Pacino, Williams and Swank gave Nolan “the best preparation [he] had for making a large-scale franchise movie,” according to a 2015 interview with Forbes.
Had “Insomnia” failed critically and financially, it’s safe to say the public might not have gotten a chance to see Nolan’s most ambitious projects; as such, one of the greatest, most visionary filmmakers of all time could have been buried.
Similar Movies
Nolan’s filmography is anything but under the radar; even so, he definitely has his share of underappreciated movies that live in the shadow of megahits such as “The Dark Knight” and “Interstellar.”
Nolan’s “Memento” — a personal favorite — is a crime/mystery movie that centers around a very blonde, tattooed man (Guy Pearce) who tracks down his wife’s killer while simultaneously suffering from anterograde amnesia. The film’s structure, while admittedly complicated and confusing, masterfully uses reverse-chronological storytelling to make for an infinitely rewatchable flick.
“The Prestige,” another of Nolan’s comparatively low-budget and little-discussed films, stands up as a suspenseful period drama about two feuding magicians, with a bit of science fiction thrown into the top hat.
Though “Heat” probably features Pacino’s most similar role to Dormer — basically the same cop with a better sleep schedule and a whole lot more cocaine — his collection of films from the late 90s to the early 2000s more closely resembles his presence in “Insomnia.” This stage of the reputed actor’s career includes titles like “The Insider,” “Any Given Sunday,” “The Devil’s Advocate” and “Donnie Brasco.”
Those seeking more dramatic performances by Williams can add “Good Will Hunting” and “Dead Poets Society” to the top of their watchlists. “One Hour Photo” is another 2002 release that showcases Williams’ thriller chops, as he plays an even more disturbing creep than he does in “Insomnia.”
Bonus recommendation: For a true cinephile maneuver, watch the 1997 Norwegian version of “Insomnia,” which Nolan remade and slightly altered alongside Erik Skjoldbjærg.
Up next on Under The Radar: As Thanksgiving break sadly takes me away from Under The Radar, likely forcing me to watch “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” I’ll dream of returning to this column with cinematic joy. But no need to worry — we’re coming back in a more clutch fashion than Robert Horry when a Finals game is on the line. In honor of the NBA season getting into full swing, we’ll be looking at a movie that all hoops fans should watch.
