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Insomnia

  • 20022002
  • RR
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
299K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,813
63
Al Pacino and Robin Williams in Insomnia (2002)
Trailer
Play trailer2:30
1 Video
99+ Photos
DramaMysteryThriller
Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen.Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen.Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
299K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,813
63
    • Christopher Nolan
    • Hillary Seitz(screenplay)
    • Nikolaj Frobenius(1997 screenplay)
    • Erik Skjoldbjærg(1997 screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Al Pacino
    • Robin Williams
    • Hilary Swank
    • Christopher Nolan
    • Hillary Seitz(screenplay)
    • Nikolaj Frobenius(1997 screenplay)
    • Erik Skjoldbjærg(1997 screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Al Pacino
    • Robin Williams
    • Hilary Swank
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 753User reviews
    • 117Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    Insomnia (2002)
    Trailer 2:30
    Watch Insomnia (2002)

    Photos140

    Al Pacino and Hilary Swank in Insomnia (2002)
    Al Pacino and Robin Williams in Insomnia (2002)
    Al Pacino and Robin Williams in Insomnia (2002)
    Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, and Martin Donovan in Insomnia (2002)
    Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, and Paul Dooley in Insomnia (2002)
    Al Pacino and Robin Williams in Insomnia (2002)
    Al Pacino and Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe in Insomnia (2002)
    Robin Williams in Insomnia (2002)
    Robin Williams in Insomnia (2002)
    Hilary Swank in Insomnia (2002)
    Hilary Swank and Lorne Cardinal in Insomnia (2002)
    Hilary Swank in Insomnia (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Al Pacino
    Al Pacino
    • Will Dormer
    Robin Williams
    Robin Williams
    • Walter Finch
    Hilary Swank
    Hilary Swank
    • Ellie Burr
    Martin Donovan
    Martin Donovan
    • Hap Eckhart
    Oliver 'Ole' Zemen
    • Pilot
    Paul Dooley
    Paul Dooley
    • Chief Nyback
    Nicky Katt
    Nicky Katt
    • Fred Duggar
    Larry Holden
    Larry Holden
    • Farrell
    Jay Brazeau
    Jay Brazeau
    • Francis
    Lorne Cardinal
    Lorne Cardinal
    • Rich
    James Hutson
    James Hutson
    • Officer #1
    Andrew Campbell
    • Officer #2
    Paula Shaw
    Paula Shaw
    • Coroner
    Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe
    Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe
    • Kay Connell
    • (as Crystal Lowe)
    Tasha Simms
    Tasha Simms
    • Mrs. Connell
    Maura Tierney
    Maura Tierney
    • Rachel Clement
    Jonathan Jackson
    Jonathan Jackson
    • Randy Stetz
    Malcolm Boddington
    • Principal
      • Christopher Nolan
      • Hillary Seitz(screenplay)
      • Nikolaj Frobenius(1997 screenplay)
      • Erik Skjoldbjærg(1997 screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      As of 2020, this is the only film directed by Christopher Nolan in which Nolan does not have an official writing credit - even though he wrote the final draft of the screenplay himself.
    • Goofs
      Dormer, a seasoned police detective who demonstrates in the story that he understands the properties of blood, including DNA and proteins, chooses to use hot water to clean the blood off his clothes (you can see the hot water tap is wide open and the cold tap is closed in the sink in his hotel room). Hot water binds blood to clothes and makes a permanent stain. Cold water removes blood.
    • Quotes

      Will Dormer: You don't get it do you, Finch? You're my job. You're what I'm paid to do. You're about as mysterious to me as a blocked toilet is to a fucking plumber. Reasons for doing what you did? Who gives a fuck?

    • Connections
      Featured in Day for Night: The Making of 'Insomnia' (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      Sparks
      Written by Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin

      Performed by Coldplay

      Courtesy of EMI Records Ltd.

      Under license from EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets

    User reviews753

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Christopher Nolan does it again!
    First off, Christopher Nolan is one of my biggest influences when it comes to film and screen writing. With films such as Following and Memento, both of which reached cult following levels, he is well on his way to a successful Hollywood career. Then, today came, his 3rd film was released, Insomnia. Based on a 1997 Norwegian film written by Nikolaj Frobenius and Erik Skjoldbjærg, Insomnia is a true work of art in the world of film.

    Christopher Nolan takes all that was the 1997 film, and brings it to the next level, using his own style of directing, a musical score with shades of Memento, and an all star cast. Al Pacino and Robin Williams pulls out the greatest performances of their careers in the past decade, if not in their ENTIRE careers in my eyes.

    Pacino once again excels in the role of master dective, while Williams takes this chance to show his "dark side", and he does it so well. I can only hope that this is a rebirth of Robin Williams, and as it stands with his upcoming film One Hour Photo (which he once again plays a dark, psychotic role), it seems to be just that! Hilary Swank also pulls out what is the greatest role of her career.

    Insomnia brings you in as an audience, with it's perfectly woven plot, with a film noir feel to it, just as Nolan's first two films. It is a rollercoster ride of drama and suspense as you watch Al Pacino from the very beginning unravel, and the rest of the story and his past catches up with him. I can not say much more about it, as I do not wish to spoil anything about if for you, but I do want to say this... ...go see it, right now, and enjoy. If you love crime/mystery/drama films with that wonderful Film Noir feel to it, you will love this film. If that isn't your thing, then the performances of the three main actors are worth the price of a ticket in itself.

    Finally I just want to say, that Insomnia proves once and for all that Christopher Nolan will indeed be a force to reckoned with in Hollywood. I've said it before, and I'll say it again... ...Christopher Nolan is well on his way to becoming the Hollywood legend which he proves he is capable of becoming.
    helpful•101
    42
    • lumkinsc98
    • May 24, 2002

    FAQ2

    • At the end, he tells her "don't lose your way" when she tries to throw the shell casing away. What did he mean by that?
    • Why did Detective Dormer switch to his secondary gun during the fog shootings?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 24, 2002 (United States)
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Alaska, USA
    • Production companies
      • Alcon Entertainment
      • Witt/Thomas Productions
      • Section Eight
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 58 minutes
      • Color
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS

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