Insomnia (5 Stars)

Two things amaze me about this film. First, why haven't I watched it for eight years? Second, why haven't I watched the original version for more than 12 years? Actually, there's a third thing that amazes me: why did I only give "Insomnia" four stars last time I watched it? It's possibly because I thought it wasn't as good as the original version, which I watched first. I'm not sure. I vaguely remember watching the original Norwegian version of "Insomnia" twice in my pre-blog days. I liked it a lot, which is why I gave the American remake a lower rating. It's been so long since I watched the original that I can judge the remake on its own merits, and it's excellent. The performances by Al Pacino and Robin Williams are outstanding, and it's a fascinating psychological drama.

It's a crime thriller, but it breaks all the rules. How often do we see a police detective taking a ferry with the murderer and not arresting him, despite having heard his confession?

Will Dormer is a highly successful detective in Los Angeles. He's solved many high profile cases. However, Internal Affairs is examining his most recent arrest. He planted evidence on a man that he knew was guilty, because he was afraid that a jury wouldn't convict him. That doesn't mean he's a bad cop. He just cut corners. Now he's worried that if the truth about this one case comes out, all his previous cases might be questioned. All the bad men that he's put behind bars might be released.

The only person who knows that Will planted evidence is his partner Hap Eckhart. The two are sent on a mission to aid the police in a murder investigation in Nightmute, a small town in Alaska. Less than 300 inhabitants. On the plane Hap tells Will that he's going to testify against him. That puts tension between the two men who used to be friends.

While chasing the murderer in the fog, Will accidentally shoots Hap. He thinks he might be accused of deliberately shooting him, so he claims the murderer shot him. The murderer, a local author called Walter Finch, witnessed what happened. He blatantly confesses the murder to Will, then offers to protect Will, as long as he plants evidence on someone else. Will is spiralling out of control. It's one thing to plant evidence on a guilty man, but another entirely to plant evidence on an innocent man.

The local police officer Ellie Burr is a big fan of Will Dormer. She wrote a paper about one of his cases when she was in police academy. She finds evidence that he lied about Hap Eckhart's death, but she can't believe that her hero has really crossed the line. She doesn't know what to do.

The film is called "Insomnia". That's because Nightmute is within the Arctic Circle. It's summer, and the Sun doesn't set. Will can't sleep. Ellie quotes something that Will once said: "A good cop can't sleep because a piece of the puzzle's missing. A bad cop can't sleep because his conscience won't let him". So the lack of sleep isn't just about the Sun shining at night.

I can still remember the main differences between the two versions. They're significant, but I shan't discuss them until I rewatch the Norwegian version.

Success Rate:  + 0.5

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