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Insomnia

Play trailer 2:23 Poster for Insomnia R 2002 1h 58m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 203 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
From acclaimed director Chris Nolan ("Memento") comes the story of a veteran police detective (Al Pacino) who is sent to a small Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. Forced into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse by the primary suspect (Robin Williams), events escalate and the detective finds his own stability dangerously threatened.
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Insomnia

Insomnia

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Critics Consensus

Driven by Al Pacino and Robin Williams' performances, Insomnia is a smart and riveting psychological drama.

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Critics Reviews

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Adam Kempenaar Filmspotting 04/24/2020
3.5/5
Dormer has a weariness that Pacino wears perfectly, always finding some new depth to his exhaustion and despair without ever being a sleepy presence on screen. Go to Full Review Jami Bernard New York Daily News 08/25/2014
3/4
Insomnia is not so much about the murder mystery as it is about Will's internal struggle with what's right and what's possibly okay. Go to Full Review Richard Schickel TIME Magazine 08/05/2013
The film represents a triumph of atmosphere over a none-too-mysterious mystery. Which is to say that Nolan makes you feel the end-of-the-earth bleakness of his setting, makes you feel the way it can discombobulate people once they internalize it. Go to Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 9
4/5
Furthers Christopher Nolan's skills of pacing and mystery he teased in Memento, elevated by riveting performers. Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews 04/29/2024
3.5/4
...a methodically-paced yet increasingly absorbing drama... Go to Full Review Akhil Arora AkhilArora.com 10/17/2023
The only remake Nolan has ever done and the only time he’s never written his own script—Insomnia was his first step in a studio system—this feels the least like a Nolan film, at least what we would come to expect of it based on what came after and before. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Haseeb A @iamhaseebaslam 4d Some films age with every rewatch. Insomnia only gets harder. I have seen this film more times than I can properly account for, and every single viewing asks something different of you. But this one hit like the first time all over again, except heavier. Nolan takes a detective story and turns it into something quietly devastating. Guilt, sleep deprivation, moral disintegration. Not as a plot device. As a slow interior collapse, you can feel building behind your own eyes. Pacino carries it all and makes it look effortless. Robin Williams does what he does best, being the most unsettling person in the room without raising his voice once. But Hilary Swank is who this film truly belongs to. She is the emotional anchor nobody gives enough credit to. Those Alaska frames are a separate conversation altogether. Wally Pfister found light up there that does not look like it belongs on Earth. Pure heaven on screen. Used to have this at 3.5. Not anymore. Solid 4. See more Oscar T @ScarfaceRampage 4d Robin Williams, Al Pacino, directed by Christopher Nolan… See more Zach R. @ZARman May 8 Ending could have been better but the suspense was captivating. See more Ben W @Username618 Apr 25 Sort of scandi-noir... I found it more enjoyable in French. See more Ryan P. @Podieproductions Apr 15 Williams and Pacino are awesome in this, serving up some great dialogue and providing an interesting story that definitely does not feel like your average thriller. See more Gi S @Gistevenn Apr 10 Good performances by al pacino & robin williams. See more Read all reviews
Insomnia

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Cast & Crew

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Christopher Nolan

Director

Al Pacino

Will Dormer

Robin Williams

Walter Finch

Hilary Swank

Ellie Burr

Maura Tierney

Rachel

Martin Donovan

Hap Eckhart

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Insomnia

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Insomnia

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Movie Info

Synopsis From acclaimed director Chris Nolan ("Memento") comes the story of a veteran police detective (Al Pacino) who is sent to a small Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. Forced into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse by the primary suspect (Robin Williams), events escalate and the detective finds his own stability dangerously threatened.
Director
Christopher Nolan
Producer
Paul Junger Witt, Edward L. McDonnell, Andrew A. Kosove, Broderick Johnson
Screenwriter
Hillary Seitz
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Section Eight Ltd., Witt/Thomas Productions, Alcon Entertainment
Rating
R (Language|Brief Nudity|Some Violence)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 24, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$67.3M
Runtime
1h 58m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)