Reel Critics

Peggy Rogers

Lt. Dormer (Al Pacino) and his partner arrive in Nightmute, Alaska to

track down the killer of a 17-year-old girl. Murders just don’t happen in

Nightmute, so the assistance of the two detectives from Los Angeles is

needed but not necessarily wanted. Dormer and his partner don’t

necessarily want the case, but they need a break from Los Angeles.

Dormer’s reputation is legendary among police officers. The cases he’s

solved are used as textbook examples rookies study to learn how

successful investigations are accomplished.

Pacino has played the gamut of cops starting with “Serpico,” “Sea of

Love,” “Heat” and now “Insomnia.” Every role has been as an honest cop,

but “Insomnia’s” Dormer isn’t sure he’s a good detective anymore. He

thinks he has crossed the line. Maybe he has. It depends on who you ask.

Pacino has the ability to portray the range of emotions Dormer is

experiencing as he wonders if he has crossed over from good cop to bad.

The audience can only guess if Dormer is too harsh in his judgmentand

watch the outcome unfold.

Robin Williams plays Finch, a murder suspect who sees Dormer more as a

confidant than the enemy. Finch fancies himself to be intelligent enough

to escape detection by the local authorities, but escaping Dormer will

require a bit of good fortune, which Finch seems confident he possesses.

“Insomnia” has the strength of Pacino’s presence to hold viewer

interest against the film’s biggest weakness, too much boring dialogue.

The movie, however, is good at keeping you guessing if the killer gets

away with murder until the very end.

* PEGGY J. ROGERS, 39, produces commercial videos and documentaries.