Christopher Nolan's fabulous-looking new movie "Insomnia" is an ambitious thriller about a cop who can't sleep and a killer who takes advantage of his affliction. The story, a meditation on guilt and responsibility, is a little ragged and occasionally implausible. But the film makes up for these flaws with its considerable style and a few genuinely scary moments.
"Insomnia" stars Al Pacino as a cop from L.A. who is assigned with his partner to help solve a grisly murder in Alaska. Pacino and his partner are under investigation from Internal Affairs, and their department sends them to Alaska while the heat dies down.
While on the case, Pacino's partner confesses that he is going to make a deal with Internal Affairs, thus irreparably damaging Pacino's own career. Later, while the two men are pursuing the Alaskan killer, Pacino, unable to see clearly in the fog, shoots and kills his partner.
Is the shooting an accident or did Pacino gun down his partner to prevent him from dealing with I.A.? The uncertainty is compounded by the fact that Pacino is unable to sleep in this Alaskan town on which the sun shines 24 hours a day. Is it the lack of nighttime or a bothersome conscience that keeps him awake?
These are the sorts of psychological questions that obviously compel director Christopher Nolan, whose last picture, "Memento," is a complicated psychological puzzle that keeps the audience guessing until the final scene. "Insomnia" is nowhere near as ingenious as "Memento," but it is captivating as the audience follows the twists and turns.
This is mostly due to the superb performance by Pacino, who is in almost every scene in the movie. Pacino -- who is really starting to look old for the first time - has played a lot of charismatic cops in his career. He is a pro at holding the screen, and he knows how to imbue his characters with real psychological interest. He gratifyingly dials back his performance a little from some of the screamers he has played in recent years, such as his cop in "Heat".
Robin Williams as the killer also holds back, proving again that he can act when he abandons either schlock or schtick. Pacino and Williams are very good in their scenes together, although Nolan allows the scenes to go on too long. The director shoots the actors in such extreme close-ups that it is obvious he is in awe of these two icons sharing the screen.
Hillary Swank plays a local rookie detective who has admired Pacino's career from afar, but she seems a little old to play a naive hero worshipper. She looks beautiful framed against the Alaskan wilderness, but her role is thin and underwritten, proving yet again that Hollywood has few good roles for women, even former Oscar winners.
The real co-star of the movie is the location photography, which is some of the most beautiful photography seen in a movie in a long time. The magisterial Alaskan mountains tower over everything, and mammoth foggy forests and expansive gray lakes feel appropriately solemn and mysterious.
The movie jumps right into its action and the first hour plays very well, though the dramatic thrust slips in the second hour when the plot contrives some confrontations that feel unconvincing. And the climax, though exciting, relies on movie cliches and melodrama.
These reservations aside, the movie presents some interesting questions about guilt and responsibility. And it is worth seeing for the performances and the exquisite evocation of atmosphere. It won't give you insomnia, but it won't put you to sleep either.
Reach Michael Green at starbury@cox.net.
