Insomnia

Went to the dollar theatre this weekend and saw Insomnia. I really enjoyed the film. Not in a “wow, that was awesome” type way but just as an enjoyable two hours kinda way.

It is an interesting study in guilt. The basic story line is not that complicated:

Will Dormer (AL PACINO), a veteran LAPD detective who travels to a small Alaskan town with his partner Hap (MARTIN DONOVAN) to investigate the disturbing murder of a seventeen year-old girl.

Under the glare of the region’s perpetual daylight, Dormer and Hap close in on the primary suspect, reclusive novelist Walter Finch (ROBIN WILLIAMS). During a tense stakeout on a rocky, fog-shrouded beach, Finch slips into the mist and out of Dormer’s grasp. As he makes his escape, shots ring out?and Hap is killed.

As he struggles to cope with his sense of responsibility and remorse over his partner’s death, Dormer is forced into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse by the brilliantly malevolent Finch. The stakes escalate as Dormer contends with an unproven but perceptive local cop (HILARY SWANK) and becomes increasingly entangled in Finch’s web of manipulation.

Unable to find respite from the relentless Midnight Sun or his own distorted judgment, the dangerously sleep-deprived detective finds his stability gravely threatened.

What I found interesting was the way Pacinio’s lack of sleep grinds him down. As the plot thickens he is constantly scrambling to catch up but his lack of sleep seems to prevent him from getting the upper hand. The movie presents a great metaphor for deception. Lies are so easy to fall into yet so difficult to keep up. In the end you see the Pacino character defeated by the weight of his past. The only way to escape is stop pretending. His final words: “Just let me sleep.” Connect to both his insomnia and his guilt.

If you haven’t already and get a chance, catch this one at the dollar theatre or rent it. It is well wroth a buck or two.