Insomnia
Today, I got to watch Insomnia, easily one of the best movies of the summer, maybe the year. Al Pacino plays a Los Angeles detective who goes up to Alaska to investigate the murder of a 17-year-old girl. The untimely death of his partner, who was going to turn him in concerning another case back in L.A., from his own gun, his inability to quickly solve the case, and the fact that Alaska doesn't have sunsets this time of the year makes Pacino unable to sleep as well as to be not alert. This movie has some exciting scenes including a chase through fog (which is how his partner dies) and Pacino's chase of Robin Williams' character over logs. I would have changed the ending. It seems like an excuse to test out those front speakers. (Hey, it's supposed to be a summer flick, right?) But I guess this was the only way to end it. While the script may seem by-the-numbers, it does not get over-the-top like an average Practice episode. Director Christopher Nolan, who also directed Memento, injects some of the best features of Memento in this movie, including the flashbacks, and puts a lot of suspense into it. All the performances were top-notch including Pacino's, who should get nominated for something out of this. Robin Williams, who may seem out-of-place considering his comedic background, plays the intelligent crazy man perfectly. Hilary Swank also does well with what's she given since her role should be staying out of the way of the main focus of the movie. Rest assured, you will be an insomniac while watching this movie because if you doze off, you might miss something. 3.5 stars