Insomnia (1997)

Average rating

(69%)

Starring:	Stellan Skarsgard \| Sverre Anker Ousdal \| Bjorn Floberg
Director:	Erik Skjoldbjaerg
Studio:	ARROW FILMS
Run time:	92 mins
Genres:	Thriller
Languages:	Norwegian
Subtitles:	English
Released:	March 03, 2003
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Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard gives a compelling performance as Jonas Engstrom, an exiled Swedish city detective working in Norway who travels to the small coastal town of Tromso in order to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. When he makes a fatal mistake in the investigation, however, his own conscience, coupled with the insomnia caused by the 24-hour summer sunlight of northernmost Norway, sets Engstrom on the path to insanity. Director Erik Skjoldbjaerg creates palpable tension in this strong, subtle film. In 2002, Christopher Nolan remade the thriller with Al Pacino and Robin Williams.

Rating of 3 stars out of 5

Debutant director Erik Skjoldbjaerg pulls off something of a generic coup here, by staging a film noir in the relentless glare of the midnight sun. Set in an isolated town on the polar extremities, the action begins with a hunt for the killer of a teenage girl. But, once city cop Stellan Skarsgård accidentally shoots his colleague during a bungled ambush, the emphasis shifts to his struggle to remain focused on the case while battling his suppressed sense of guilt. Dazzlingly photographed by Erling Thurmann-Andersen, this taut thriller stints on narrative complexity, but it packs quite a psychological punch.

Highest rated reviews

4 out of 5 people found the following review helpful:

Looks and feels like a routine TV detective story

ThomasKus from from Gloucester, 1st February, 2004

When Hollywood attempts to remake a European film the original is usually very good and the remake often inferior. Considering this I decided to go straight for the original and was not particularly impressed. This is a type of film we have seen many times on TV: a young girl is murdered and a cop with a high reputation is called in to find the killer. As events unfold he becomes more involved in the case than he hoped for with unforeseen consequences.

The story has some nice touches but the pace is slow, the dialogue dull and the whole film has a rather luke-warm feel to it.

I am not sure if the remake is any better but the original has not encouraged me to find out, either.

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3 out of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Stellan Skarsgaard, nuff said

Tom Wellings from Yorkshire, 17th August, 2004

Wow, i know it's not really the material to say wow to, but Skarsgaard makes it so. A thoroughly convincing acting performance, from a man i'd only seen in Ronin and Good Will Hunting and who gave fine performances in both (irrespective of film success). He leads us into his world and takes us deeper with him into desperation and frustration, throw in a little remorse, and you've got a smart independent thriller which kept me hooked from start to finish. now let's see what a hash Pacino and Williams make of it! (sarcasm)

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