(rated R, 115 mins.)
The Halibut fishing capital of Nightmute, Alaska doesn’t get dark. So, light doesn’t help when baggy-eyed big-shot detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino) arrives to town to investigate a young woman’s murder and can’t get any sleep. Eager-beaver local detective Ellie Burr (Hillary Swank) witnesses Dormer’s smooth skills as he explains how the killer cleaned his victim and even cut her toenails. But what if the murderer is a mystery writer who learns something of the detective trying to trap him? When something goes wrong, control-freak killer (Robin Williams) taunts sleepless Pacino. The story has the big fish in the small town appeal with an aging Pacino who doesn’t seem to age at all, still holding fast to his usual sex appeal. Swank starts off underused, but manages to come through in a surprising conclusion, while Williams steps away from his Morkish-Doubtfire roles to deliver something dark and effective. The three Oscar winning stars make for a weird movie combination, but surprisingly and smoothly they work. Directed by Chirstopher Nolan who’s had a creepy experience delivering “Memento”, this one produced by the Clooney/Soderbergh team of Section 8. While a couple of plot issues were bothersome, overall, Insomnia will keep you – wide awake!
