The third film in my comprehensive analysis of the films of Christopher Nolan is 2002's Insomnia. A remake of the 1998 Swedish film by the same name, this was Nolan's first "studio" film. That is to say, this is the first film Christopher Nolan made for a major Hollywood studio. By many accounts in the industry, this film was a "test" to see if Nolan could handle doing a bigger picture for a wide release. Up until this point he had only done indie films. Because of this, Nolan had far less creative control over the final product of this film than he had on previous projects, or will have on future projects. Therefore, Insomnia is the least Nolan-esque film in his filmography. However, despite studio hamstrings, there are many elements of Insomnia that have Nolan's stamp of authenticity and brilliance which makes this film (while not the crown jewel) an honorable mention in Nolan's lucrative film career.
PLOT (spoilers ahead)
When two LA cops ( Pacino and Donavan) feel pressure from an Internal Affairs investigation, they are sent to "assist" a murder case in Alaska as an excuse to lay low. However, as they pursue the murderer( Robin Williams) with the help of the local police (Hilary Swank), things change rapidly. Set against backdrop of never ending daylight, as sleep deprivation sets in, perceptions of reality alter and tragedy strikes. What follows is an intense game of 'cat and mouse' that winds so tightly the only release is through a violence cinematic climax.
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This is one of the few Nolan films that are told in a linearly regardless of the fact that Nolan himself wrote a draft of the script. Much of his work must not have been used because he did not receive a writing or story credit. This again can be attributed to Nolan being reigned in by the studio. While there are quick cut flashbacks that are designed to jolt the audience out of the complacency that can result from poorly paced linear stories, most the of film is a progression from the beginning of the case to the end. Yet, Nolan weaves a lot of the writers predictable plot devices into a fluid tapestry of intrigue and suspense. In that way, Nolan embodies the concept that its not what you are given, but how you use it that counts.
Even though most of the principle cast was chosen before Nolan was attached to direct this project, he masterfully uses lighting, angles and setting to help their actors embrace their characters. Pacino is fantastic as Dormer, subtly showing his progressively degenerative mental state as the sleepless days and nights begin to mount. Pacino brilliantly display Dormer's stellar detective skills in the beginning and throughout the film slowly strips all that away from him with each waking hour. Robin Williams (during his dramatic Renaissance that began with 1998's Good Will Hunting) embodies creepiness and control as Finch. His speech is slow and methodical toying with Dormer seeing him not only as a worthy adversary but as a kindred spirit. Hillary Swank is captivating as the young and energetic Ellie who is enamored by Dormer when he first arrives but as he descends into insomnia induced psychosis she realizes that even our mentors are human, and therefore fallible. Swank plays this heartbreak with a clear honesty and pragmatic realism that could seemed forced or contrived in lesser hands.
By many critical accounts, this is the poorer of the two Insomnia films. Critics cite the age difference of Pacino's Dormer to Stellan Skarsgard's Jonas (in the original film) and a lack of "darkness" in Nolan's version that made it difficult to watch. However, considering that the original film is full of rape and sexual assault (much of which perpetrated by the protagonist himself) I don't know how essential this "darkness" is when it is just code for fulfilling thinly veiled rape fantasies said critics may have embodied from the overall rape culture in the United States.
Analysis
Ellie Burke: "Did you mean to shoot [Detective Eckhart]?"
Dormer: " I don't know anymore."
Throughout the film there are a lot of Nolan-esque qualities about the film that emphasis both Nolan's skill as a filmmaker and the social and cultural commentary he embeds (sometimes deeply) into all of his films. The first interesting tidbit is that Nolan got the name Dormer from "Dor mire" which means "to sleep. Additionally, both Nolan uses quick cuts, sound editing, and over exposed lighting to emphasis how stress precipitates Dormer's perception and his loss of reality. Throughout the film, Nolan treats Insomnia as a degenerative disease; showing how necessary perception is in determining the world around us. Presenting reality in this way requires an understanding of Berger and Luckmann's notion of the social construction of reality (otherwise known as constructionism). Nolan has a history of using this concept to explain human behavior and social action.
ESTABLISHING 'TEAM NOLAN'
This is the second film in the tenured collaboration between Christopher Nolan and Wally Pfister (the first being the previously mentioned Memento). This partnership between director and Cinematographer has spanned over a decade and includes all of Nolan's major studio work to date. For my money, Wally Pfister is the Bill Finger of cinematography, he does not get enough credit for his work (Bill Finger is the artist responsible for a majority of the Batman comics universe but credit was stolen by Bob Kane) which is essentially making a director's film, flawless and breathtaking. He is the reason all Christopher Nolan films need to be seen in high definition ( and/or) IMAX. I have even watched several films I have absolutely no interest in (e.g. MoneyBall) because Wally Pfister was the Director of Photography.
It is Pfister's talent which makes Insomnia in a class above a simple crime thriller. One of the best examples of this elevation is in the opening establishing shots of the Town of Nightmute. Pfister clearly identifies the contrast between the green of the forest and the icy blue of the ice shelves but blends them seamlessly together. Another example is the scene in the fog. Bled of almost all color (except blue) Pfister uses these tools to not only to elevate an already thrilling scene but to emphasize Dormer's perspective in order to keep the audience guessing. Thirdly, Pfister's uses of camera angles, wipes, fades, and other visual tricks to effectively place the audience in Dormer's head. an effect that forces the audience to make this a personal story. We can't help but put ourselves in Dormer's shoes.
This Fall's Interstellar will be Nolan's first film without Pfister by his side. Pfister electing to have his first directorial debut with the sci-fi thriller Transcendence released April 18. Transcendence is not only being produced by Syncopy, Nolan's production company, but also stars a lot of actors that are Alumni of Nolan's films. I am pleased that this move by Pfister is embraced and supported by Nolan as any true friend would be. The question remains however; since this partnership has lasted so long over the majority of his films, what is Nolan without Pfister? I do not think (like in the aforementioned Bill Finger analogy) that Nolan is a hack in love with his own celebrity as Bob Kane was. Nolan is proven to have an eye for the camera single handedly shooting Following with a shoulder mounted camera over the course of a year. A Nolan film with or without Wally Pfister will be great...having Pfister is just added insurance.
CONCLUSION
This is a good film directed by Christopher Nolan. Yet, I hesitate to call this a Nolan film due to all of the restrictions Nolan was under trying to "prove" himself to the studios that he has what it takes to make a studio picture. However, this should not diminish the films importance or cheapen the experience of the film for the audience. Make no mistake, in the hands of a lesser director this film would have been formulaic, boring and predictable. Instead, we get a mindful and engrossing thriller with many twists and turns that the audience is on the edge.
It would have been interesting to see this film if Nolan had the same amount of creative control (which is to say all/ final cut) that he enjoys today. Perhaps we might have gotten a psychological thriller in line with "The Machinist" or anything by Arronofsky. It must be noted that without this film, doors would have been closed to him. Without Insomnia he wouldn't have been given the chance to resurrect one of the greatest American Cultural Icons from death...Batman: and in the process create the best Superhero origin films since Richard Donner's Superman (1978).
