Insomnia
Movie, 2002, The 2000s, Set in Alaska under the midnight sun
Insomnia is #3 of 13 in release order and #3 of 13 in chronological order in the Christopher Nolan.
The story
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.
Insomnia recap
Insomnia (2002) sends Los Angeles detective Will Dormer to an Alaskan town under the midnight sun to solve a teenager's murder as Internal Affairs closes in. Christopher Nolan directs this remake of a 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, from a script by Hillary Seitz. Al Pacino plays Dormer and Martin Donovan his partner Hap Eckhart, who plans to testify against him. In Nightmute, local detective Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank) admires Dormer's work. A trap for the killer goes wrong in the fog, and Dormer shoots Eckhart dead, possibly by accident, then lets the death be blamed on the suspect and swaps the bullet. The killer, crime novelist Walter Finch (Robin Williams), saw the shooting and calls Dormer to propose a deal: each covers for the other and they pin the murder on Kay's boyfriend Randy. Unable to sleep in the endless daylight, Dormer unravels. Insomnia is Nolan's third film and his first for a major studio, coming between Memento and Batman Begins.
Insomnia ending explained
Insomnia ends with a shootout at Finch's lake house, where Finch has lured Burr, who has worked out that Dormer shot Eckhart. Dormer arrives, and he and Finch shoot each other; Finch falls dead into the water and Dormer is mortally wounded. Burr starts to throw away the shell casing that would expose Dormer, to protect his reputation, but he stops her and tells her not to lose her way. He dies asking to be allowed to sleep. In the Norwegian original, the detective survives and leaves town with his secret kept.
Post-credits scenes
No. Insomnia has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Insomnia
Insomnia is streaming on Apple TV in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes 92%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Memento, before Batman Begins.
- Chronological order: after Memento, before Batman Begins.
Cast
- Al Pacino as Will Dormer
- Robin Williams as Walter Finch
- Hilary Swank as Ellie Burr
- Maura Tierney as Rachel Clement
- Martin Donovan as Hap Eckhart
- Nicky Katt as Fred Duggar
- Paul Dooley as Chief Nyback
- Jonathan Jackson as Randy Stetz
- Larry Holden as Farrell
- Katharine Isabelle as Tanya Francke
- Oliver 'Ole' Zemen as Pilot
- Jay Brazeau as Francis
Directed by Christopher Nolan.