Insomnia, the first film directed by christopher nolan since his famous memento 2001, is a remake of a norwegian film of the same name, made in 1998 by erik skjoldbjaerg. Both films were critical darlings, and the remake, in particular, became a box office hit. When he accidentally shoots his partner while chasing the murderer. Nolan directs his stars with assurance and the films far north setting isnt just a pretty backdrop alaska s perversely. With al pacino, robin williams, hilary swank, martin donovan. Robin williams and al pacino grapple with darkness film. After skewering his public persona with a role as himself in the adam sandler comedy jack and jill 2011, pacino. Al pacino will dormeron his characters thought process some image caption 1 insomnia soundbites. This is the only film to feature robin williams and al pacino. See what other films and shows theyve been involved in and watch them online today. Insomnia 2002, dunkirk 2017 and following 1998 are the only movies directed by christopher nolan that are not listed in imdbs top 250 as of 2018. Hilary swank is also featured as a young local detective working the case with them. Insomnia is the story of those who lost their way 2000s. Recent movies set in alaska but filmed elsewhere insomnia 2002 remember this psychological thriller.
Thats too bad because the movie has so much else going for it. A sleepdeprived detective is sent to a small alaskan town to investigate the murder of a. Pacino s prolific acting career continued into the 21st century. A thoughtprovoking movie with robin williams playing against type as the villain. Insomnia is pacino s last great performance and easily the finest work hes done this century, and one has to wonder if thats in part because of robin williams s expert turn as the cold. Robin williams and al pacino grapple with darkness film on tv recap. In 2002 he starred with robin williams in the thriller insomnia, and he later appeared in oceans thirteen 2007, the final installment of a popular comedy trilogy that featured george clooney and brad pitt. Just log on to your verizon account and watch the latest shows online. Their scenes work because pacino s character, in regarding williams, is forced to look at a mirror of his own selfdeception.
His other 7 movies are among the best 250 movies ever made as voted by imdb users. This may be surprising, from a person 57 from the ground, but the lower center of. With a runofthemill badguy actor playing chief suspect walter finch, the movie might have tipped too far pacino s way. Pacino is lined, weary, dark circles under his eyes, his jaw slack with fatigue.
Original theatrical trailer for the 2002 film insomnia. White night or the midnight sun is a phenomenon in which the sun. How hollywood got alaska all wrong westmark hotels. A troubled detective, will dormer, goes to alaska to wrap up a simple. All three are oscar winners by the way, and deliver performances that are. The movie insomnia robin williams, al pacino takes place in alaska and has the never ending nights as a major plot device. Rent insomnia 2002 starring al pacino and robin williams on dvd and bluray. Music is scored by david julyan and cinematography by wally pfister.
Before christopher nolan got his teeth into the dark knight trilogy he remade this norwegian drama thriller, in which al pacino s sleepdeprived detective flies into a small alaska town to solve the murder of a local schoolgirl. Watch the full length movie of tightrope online or on the fios mobile app. Nightmute, alaska, land of the midnight sun, investigating a brutal murder. But robin williams is a shockingly effective counterweight. Its a remake of a 1997 norwegian film of the same name.
Its directed by christopher nolan memento, the heroic filmmaker who would go on to rescue the ailing batman franchise. Insomnia, somewhat of an outlier in nolans filmography, tells a smaller story. Explore robin williamss filmography verizon fios tv. Its noir with the lights on, set in a small alaskan town where the sun never goes down, and sleep is a luxury not all can afford. Insomnia is a 2002 american psychological thriller film directed by christopher nolan and written by hillary seitz. Sent to a small alaska town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl, a veteran police officer al pacino is forced into a game of. The movie takes place in alaska, during the summer where alaska earns the nickname land. Just two weeks after the film was released in bulgaria, it premiered on the bulgarian hbo. Neither does will dormer, a veteran lapd homicide detective sent north to alaska to head a murder case. Al pacino, robin williams, and hilary swank did a terrible job in this movie. His role as a tough cop was fascinating and hypnotizing. Al pacino and robin williams werent exactly known for understatement in this part of their careers, but their work here is.
Robin williams and al pacino grapple with darkness. Al pacino, robin williams, hilary swank, maura tierney 118 mins, cert 15 dontcloseyoureyes. Steven spielberg has to watch out for the might of nolan. Both hilary swank and robin williams also do a fantastic job in their roles with less backstory to work with. Williams plays against type, and plays a serious psychopath. Will pacino is sent to icy nightmute, alaska to investigate the slaying of a young chickadee. The film costars robin williams as walter finch, a novelist who could provide the key to solving the murder, and hilary swank as ellie burr, a young alaskan police officer who looks to dormer for guidance.
Will dormer, goes to alaska to wrap up a simple murder case but, groggy from the perpetual daylight. Al pacino, the detective dormer, tries to solve two deaths in days of sleeplessness in a season when night is not seen in alaska. After memento, christopher nolan decides to leave the ranks of independent cinema to direct a movie for warner bros. Never has a film captured so well the agony of insomnia. If you like al pacino or robin williams, you will enjoy this movie. Academy award winners robin williams, al pacino and hilary swank star in a thriller set in the land of the midnight sun, where a the mind of even a tough cop can be threatened by insomnia. New certified fresh movies and tv on netflix and amazon prime. Insomnia 2002 al pacino and robin williams play two lapd detectives who travel to rural alaska to solve a murder. Insomnia 2002 internet movie firearms database guns. The movie takes place in alaska, during the summer where alaska earns the. Al pacino is the key to insomnias ragged, persistent energy. A cop al pacino follows a killer robin williams through alaska in christopher nolans memento new thriller. The plot to the movie wasnt really suspenseful at all and it didnt entertain me either. This is the kind of movie that unfolds before the viewer.
It has an excellent cast headed by three oscarwinning actors al pacino scent of a woman, robin williams good will hunting and hilary swank boys dont cry. I predicted how this movie would end 20 minutes into it. Hilary swank is the alaskan detective who admires his work and methods. Heres a look at where your favorite movies set in alaska were really filmed.
Robin mclaurin williams july 21, 1951 august 11, 2014 was an american actor and comedian. Robin williams walter finchthe film some image caption 1. Al pacino and robin williams play two lapd detectives who travel to rural alaska to solve a murder. Dead poets society or good will hunting would have demonstrated the side of his work beloved by awards juries. Explore the filmography of robin williams on fios tv by verizon.
Mrs doubtfire or the birdcage would have showcased his comedy chops. Sleepless in alaska in insomnia, a tormented al pacino and a creepy robin williams tangle in a thoughtful whodunit by richard schickel monday, may 27, 2002. Starring al pacino, robin williams, hilary swank, maura tierney, martin donovan, paul. He has always been an actor of overwhelming physicality he slunk around scarface like a hungry debutante panther.
Robin williams kicks off the afi life achievement award for al pacino duration. That was a strong, atmospheric, dreadheavy film, and so is this one. Robin williams, who portrays walter finch, was not as great as als however he still doesnt disappoint. Unlike most remakes, the nolan insomnia is not a pale retread, but a reexamination of the material, like a new production of a good play. Al pacino portrays a detective struggling with a moral dilemna and insomnia while trying to solve a murder, without ever letting his role come off as a gimick. It stars al pacino, robin williams, hilary swank, maura tierney, martin donovan and nicky katt. This movie has a unique location in alaska, where the sun doesnt set for a period of time in the summer. Al pacino was absolute and admirable in insomnia therefore making him the best actor in the whole film. Pacino finds he cant sleep in the alaska summer nights illuminated by the midnight sun, and goes slowly insane with insomnia.
A remake of a norwegian movie, christopher nolans insomnia puts al pacino and a scarily castagainsttype robin williams in a catandmouse copandkiller chase in the unending sun of alaska. It stars al pacino, robin williams, hilary swank, maura tierney, martin donovan, nicky katt and paul dooley, and is based on the 1997 norwegian film of the same name. Originally a norwegian film, christopher nolan directed al pacino and robin williams in the american remake. I was born here, so im actually perfectly comfortable sleeping in the light but it means i have to be diligent if i want to maintain a useful schedule. Though the film was set in nightmute, ak, it was shot. Nolans usage of this small detail is great, as much of the film toys with pacino s inability to rest. Robin williams walter finchon character some image caption 1 insomnia soundbites. Bbc2 could have picked any film to commemorate the life of robin williams. It was a combination of actors and a director that got me.