Thus conscience does make cowards of us all (Insomnia (DVD))

Member Name: TJ-Mackey

Product:	Insomnia (DVD)
Date:	02/09/02 (312 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Acting, direction, story

Disadvantages: Script could've been better

"People give themselves away in small lies, small mistakes. It's just human nature."

Christopher Nolan's latest film opens in a similar way to his previous success, Memento. A rousing score, tinged with sadness, builds over a close-up; this time not of a Polaroid photograph, but of blood seeping through a previously clean white cloth. As Memento's fading photograph was indicative of the protagonist's memory condition, perhaps Insomnia's first shot represents the corruption that seeps into decorated detective Will Dormer's life. It's an interesting scene, and one whose meaning doesn't truly become apparent until close to the end of the film.

In contrast to his previous two features, Nolan maintains a traditional narrative structure with Insomnia that will certainly appeal more to the mainstream audience than Memento or Following. Working from a screenplay adapted from the 1997 Norwegian movie of the same name, the thematic emphasis of the story has been shifted, allowing a more appropriate focus for the American setting. Although I've yet to see it, my understanding is that the Al Pacino character is less sympathetic in the original, with the effects of guilt and fatigue on the human condition explored more fully in Nolan's version.

As the film opens, homicide detective Will Dormer (Pacino) and his partner Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan) are flying into the small fishing town of Nightmute in northern Alaska. A teenage girl has been murdered and by bringing in their experience of Los Angeles murder cases, the two cops look to solve the case. Their motives aren't entirely selfless though; the trip also puts some distance between themselves and an Internal Affairs enquiry into their work back in LA, from which Dormer in particular is anxious to escape. This inevitably plays on his mind during the investigation, but even more disorienting is the twenty-four hour sunlight that is present this fa
r north of the Arctic Circle, making it increasingly difficult for him to sleep.

"A good cop can't sleep because he's missing a piece of the puzzle, and a bad cop can't sleep because his conscience won't let him."

What begins as a routine murder mystery quickly becomes something altogether more interesting following a bungled stakeout. While chasing a suspect through thick fog, Dormer accidentally shoots and kills his partner. Exhausted and ridden with guilt, he is tormented by the suspect, who witnessed the incident and by blackmailing him, believes he can strike a deal. Nolan again shows a talent for directing actors; Pacino holds the film together with suitable determination, while Robin Williams is played against type as Finch, the calm and creepy murder suspect. As Finch's actions begin to echo his own, Dormer has to address his own feelings of guilt and morality, and Pacino's restrained performance reflects this superbly. You can almost believe he kept himself awake for days on end to obtain the required level of fatigue.

The camera stays with Pacino for almost the entire film, and thus we really get drawn into Dormer's situation, especially during the sleepless nights, when despite every effort to shut it out, the sunlight still pervades his hotel room with a piercing brightness. Just as he did with Leonard Shelby in Memento, Nolan allows us to sympathise with a character who isn't entirely likeable, and certainly has enough flaws to place him closer to 'anti-hero' than 'hero'. The biggest moral dilemma facing Dormer isn't even a choice between right and wrong, but rather the better or worse of two wrongs. Is it acceptable to plant evidence on a suspect you know to be guilty in order to get a conviction? What about covering up an accident to preserve the greater good? These questions would unhinge even the best of detectives, but as his mental and physical condition deter
iorate, Dormer begins to question what was accidental and what was intentional.

As Finch, Robin Williams gives an extremely believable performance, and perhaps this move away from comedy and sentimentality will be a good thing for his career. He's certainly effective here, and one of the reasons Nolan was so keen to cast Williams is that he's never played this kind of role before. A supporting appearance from Hilary Swank provides some interest, and small parts for Maura Tierney, Nicky Katt and Paul Dooley are also memorable, but it's the two leads that stand out. Pacino in particular gives an outstanding portrayal of a man on the edge, and shows how good he can be without the over-the-top histrionics of his past performances.

Christopher Nolan is most definitely a talented director, and now he's shown the ability to direct such acting heavyweights (three Oscar-winners), I think he'll cope well with Jim Carrey in his next picture. He does acknowledge the guidance from executive producer Steven Soderbergh on Insomnia, and if he can emulate Soderbergh's success with both indie and mainstream filmmaking, Nolan will soon become one of a small group of 'must-see' directors. After only three features, that's quite an accomplishment.

There are flaws, most notably with Hillary Seitz's script, which relies on coincidence on a few occasions and ends by veering slightly towards typical Hollywood fare. Having said that though, Insomnia is probably one of the best Hollywood releases of the year, and is certainly the best film I've seen this summer. It won't keep you awake at night like Nolan's last picture, but this one does come highly recommended.

Summary: