In a Norwegian city with a 24-hour daylight cycle a Swedish murder investigator has been brought in on a special case. Sleep deprived, he makes a horrible mistake which is discovered by the killer he has been hunting.
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
 |
Maria Mathiesen | ... | Tanja Lorentzen |
| Stellan Skarsgård | ... | Jonas Engström | |
| Sverre Anker Ousdal | ... | Erik Vik | |
| Gisken Armand | ... | Hilde Hagen | |
|
|
Kristian Figenschow | ... | Arne Zakariassen (as Kristian Fr. Figenschow) |
|
|
Thor Michael Aamodt | ... | Tom Engen |
| Frode Rasmussen | ... | Chief of Police | |
| Bjørn Moan | ... | Eilert | |
| Maria Bonnevie | ... | Ane | |
| Marianne O. Ulrichsen | ... | Frøya | |
| Bjørn Floberg | ... | Jon Holt | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
In a Norwegian city with a 24-hour daylight cycle, a Swedish murder investigator is brought in to find an elusive killer. But when the officer accidentally kills his own partner and covers it up, a double sided game of cat-and-mouse ensues. Written by Daniel Jos. Leary
Plot Keywords:
fog | accidental shooting | hallucination | detective | northern norway |Taglines:
Den som synder, sover ikke. [He who sins, does not sleep.]Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
NorwayRelease Date:
29 May 1998 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Bezsennosc See more »Edit
Box Office
Opening Weekend USA:
$20,366, 31 May 1998Gross USA:
$227,569Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$227,569Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #47. See more »Goofs
When Jonas is riding in the car during the bus chase scene, the blood dripping down his head is in different position than when he looks in the mirror to wipe it away. See more »Connections
Featured in At the Movies: Out of Sight/Smoke Signals/Doctor Dolittle/Picnic at Hanging Rock/Insomnia (1998) See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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An excellent psychological drama about a cooly repressed detective unable to own up to causing the accidental death of his partner, at the same time he is persuing an author suspected of killing his young girlfriend. The detective story isn't important here - the detective has no trouble locating the killer, understanding his motives, or "solving" the crime. What is interesting is the detective's inablility to deal with his problems and face life truthfully, metaphorically illustrated by his inability to block out the sunlight and sleep. Stellan Skarsgard gives a very good performance as the detective struggling to keep control of himself and the situation. As he becomes more and more tired, his life and his desires race out of control, and his need to maintain his facade causes him to make decisions that take him to the edge of catastropy.
This film is understated in a way that the 2002 Al Pacino remake missed the boat on. It takes place in Norway, and the director resisted the temptation to show us a travelog of cute Norwegian villages. Most of the action takes place in non-descript rooms, suffused with the cold grey light of the arctic sun. The acting is understated and viewers are left to understand motivations without explicit explanation. The film is engrossing from beginning to end, and I'll never understand why Hollywood feels it needs to try to do better - it rarely can.