Did you know that Christopher Nolan's first studio picture featured Robin Williams as a killer? Don't sleep on this 2002 thriller.
The Big Picture Nowadays, Christopher Nolan is known best for his work on big-budget blockbusters with a cerebral twist that keep audiences guessing. Over the years, Nolan has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, from Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, and Leonardo DiCaprio to Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, and Michael Caine.
"We needed 24-hour daylight to make sure the protagonist is very disoriented and follow his progression through the story," Nolan told ShowBizMonkey in 2002, also revealing that Al Pacino was always the man they had in mind for the role. When speaking about the casting of Robin Williams, Nolan noted that Williams' work was unlike anything audiences were used to seeing from the comedian.
Likewise, Pacino doesn't miss a beat. It's easy to compare his performance here to his work in Michael Mann's Heat, and it's true that there's some real crossover between Detective Will Dormer and Lt. Vincent Hanna. Nevertheless, Pacino makes Dormer stand out all on his own. Struggling with guilt, exhaustion, and the horrible nature of this case, Dormer almost always feels like he's on the brink.
Among these is the idea that "you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain." No, The Dark Knight isn't quoted in Insomnia, though the concept rings true in Nolan's carefully plotted 2002 thriller. Under pressure from internal affairs, Dormer wrestles with his past, specifically planting evidence on a known killer named Dobbs in order to secure a conviction.
Over the course of the film, Nolan brilliantly crafts the slow decay of Dormer's sobriety as he loses sleep, juxtaposing his own conscience with the midnight sun, which quite literally sheds light on his dark deeds. Even in the dead of night, Dormer's actions are highlighted by the heavenly spotlight above, reminding him that there's nowhere else to run and hide.
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