#172: Insomnia , Movies recommended or seen lately... les films a voir

Genre: Drama/Drame policier

Annee/Year: 2002

Format: Blu Ray

Insomnia. Few directors have achieved the reputation that Christopher Nolan enjoys today with seven films only under their belt! Nolan who brough us Inception, Dark Night, Batman begins, Memento, the prestige has been enjoying a major round of success only ever getting bigger and better. Insomnia was his third movie and i just had to go back and revisit. Nolan cast Al pacino in the role of the main character: an aging cop with a history who kills by mistake his partner half way through the movie. He tries to hide his deed but only sinks himself deeper into a the hands of the real killer he is after. The baddies' role is played by Robin Williams in the role of a very intelligent writer. An interesting combination with Haillary Swank playing the role of the local cop who is so impressed by Pacino's hero status that she cannot see the truth in front of her.

The story takes place in the Alaskan summer and the 24hrs day light along with his on demons keeps our investigator without sleep for a week. As the movie progresses he has to deal with real fog and his mind being like a fog from the lack of sleep; culminating in halucinations and questionable judgement. A recipe for a tough climb to get his hands on a very wise murderer. The movie is very well realised and Pacino's role is excellent. Williams' role is so different it is interesting but never feels quite in character. Maybe it is just the flash backs from "Mork and Mindy" for me. Not sure.
A solid movie but not the best from Nolan. But a very good police thriller in a great setting.

Insomnia. Peu de directeurs on atteint la reputation de Christopher Nolan avec seulement 7 films sous la ceinture! Nolan qui nous a donne: Inception, Dark Night, Batman begins, Memento, the Prestige a un succes de plus en plus retentissant. Ce film est l'histoire d'un enqueteur de police qui se deplace en Alaska pour elucider un meurtre. Al Pacino qui joue le role pricipal est torture a travers le film par son passe et par le fait qu'il tue par erreur son partenaire au milieu du film. Bien qu'il s'agit d'un accident, il ne le dit pas et fait passer le meurtre sur le dos du tueur qu'ils poursuivent. Ce tueur est un ecrivain tres intelligent joue par Robin Wiliams.

Le film se deroule en Alaska dans des paysage grandiose et l'atmosphere du film devient de plus en plus opressante a mesure que notre policier glisse dans un etat d'esprit diminue a cause du manque de sommeil (soleil de 24hr en ete dans l'Alaska et aussi de ses demons). Un film bien reussi mais pas le meilleur de Nolan. Bien que Williams joue un role excellent on a beaucoup de difficulte a oublire le clown en lui. Quand meme un excellent suspense policier.

Great quotes:
Finch: [over phone] Must be hard to concentrate on this case after 3 days without sleep...!
...
Rachel Clement: I can't judge. There are two kinds of people in Alaska: those who were born here and those who come here to escape something. I wasn't born here.
...
Det. Ellie Burr: 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.
...
Dormer: You shouldn't knock misdemeanors.
Det. Ellie Burr: Oh, but it's small stuff. It gets so boring.
Dormer: It's all about small stuff. You know, small lies, small mistakes. People give themselves away, same in misdemeanors as they do on murder cases. It's just human nature. Aren't you gonna write that down?
...
Finch: You and I share a secret. We know how easy it is to kill someone. That ultimate taboo. It doesn't exist outside our own minds.

Link: http://dontcloseyoureyes.warnerbros.com/

Rating perso: 6.5/10