Insomnia

Play trailer

2:23

Insomnia

R

2002

1h 58m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

203 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

From acclaimed director Chris Nolan ("Memento") comes the story of a veteran police detective (Al Pacino) who is sent to a small Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. Forced into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse by the primary suspect (Robin Williams), events escalate and the detective finds his own stability dangerously threatened.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Driven by Al Pacino and Robin Williams' performances, Insomnia is a smart and riveting psychological drama.

Read Critics Reviews

Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

04/24/2020

3.5/5

Dormer has a weariness that Pacino wears perfectly, always finding some new depth to his exhaustion and despair without ever being a sleepy presence on screen.

Go to Full Review

Jami Bernard

New York Daily News

08/25/2014

3/4

Insomnia is not so much about the murder mystery as it is about Will's internal struggle with what's right and what's possibly okay.

Go to Full Review

Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

08/05/2013

The film represents a triumph of atmosphere over a none-too-mysterious mystery. Which is to say that Nolan makes you feel the end-of-the-earth bleakness of his setting, makes you feel the way it can discombobulate people once they internalize it.

Go to Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 9

4/5

Furthers Christopher Nolan's skills of pacing and mystery he teased in Memento, elevated by riveting performers.

Go to Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

04/29/2024

3.5/4

...a methodically-paced yet increasingly absorbing drama...

Go to Full Review

Akhil Arora

AkhilArora.com

10/17/2023

The only remake Nolan has ever done and the only time he’s never written his own script—Insomnia was his first step in a studio system—this feels the least like a Nolan film, at least what we would come to expect of it based on what came after and before.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Julian C

@juliancooper_12 Feb 9

I think this is Christopher Nolan's most underrated movie. You get great performances from both Al Pacino and Robin Williams. I love how it talks about grief and the consequences of living with regret. I also love how the characters of both Dormer and Walter can relate to each other, but Dormer doesn't want to live up to his guilt.

See more

Rajnish Bobby D

@mcduggal Jan 28

Definitely one of Christopher Nolans worst films, with a predictable hackneyed script , laboured performances and cliched story line. Was willing to even give up half way- never thought it would happen in a CN film.Scenes lime the fellow Jr cop finding the news paper behind a chest of drawers are just one of the weakly scripted elements of this truly disappointing film.This was made for money ,not for love !!!!

See more

Carlos I

@carlosFibarra Jan 25

Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia (2002) is a solid thriller that's a haunting, atmospheric character study set against the disorienting backdrop of the Alaskan midnight sun. The exhaustion Pacino portrays is palpable, as his weary eyes and sluggish movements perfectly mirror a man losing his grip on both his morality and his sanity. Robin Williams provides a chillingly understated counterpoint as the manipulative killer, making this a tense, visually striking exploration of guilt that proves Nolan can command a straightforward noir just as effectively as a high-concept epic.

See more

RedApple A

@RT71152999 Jan 20

I’ll remember this not as a Nolan film, but as an Al Pacino film — which I can hardly call a success.

See more

Cody W.

@Cwalton1994 Jan 14

In perhaps the most shocking and intensifying crime thriller ever put into film, INSOMNIA showcases Christopher Nolan’s incredible talent as a director, and sees Al Pacino and Robin Williams duke it out in ways that nobody can possibly imagine with multiple plot twists and shocking revelations everywhere you turn.

See more

Brian F.

@FedUpDVDCollector Dec 7

The suspense was ok. Al and Robin were great. Swank wasn’t used enough. Loose ends cut off pretty lazily by the ending in my opinion.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Christopher Nolan

Director

Al Pacino

Will Dormer

Robin Williams

Walter Finch

Hilary Swank

Ellie Burr

Maura Tierney

Rachel

Martin Donovan

Hap Eckhart

The Salton Sea

63%

82%

The Salton Sea

Watchlist

Narc

83%

80%

Narc

Watchlist

The House on Turk Street

25%

25%

The House on Turk Street

Watchlist

Red Dragon

68%

74%

Red Dragon

Watchlist

The Pledge

78%

58%

The Pledge

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Rank All of Christopher Nolan’s Movies

New Certified Fresh Movies and TV on Netflix and Amazon Prime

Now Streaming: Lawrence of Arabia, Insomnia, And More

Insomnia: Trailer 1

2:23

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

From acclaimed director Chris Nolan ("Memento") comes the story of a veteran police detective (Al Pacino) who is sent to a small Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. Forced into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse by the primary suspect (Robin Williams), events escalate and the detective finds his own stability dangerously threatened.

Director: Christopher Nolan
Producer: Paul Junger Witt, Edward L. McDonnell, Andrew A. Kosove, Broderick Johnson
Screenwriter: Hillary Seitz
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Section Eight Ltd., Witt/Thomas Productions, Alcon Entertainment
Rating: R (Language|Brief Nudity|Some Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 24, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $67.3M
Runtime: 1h 58m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now