Insomnia

I found this film to be exceptionally entertaining. The other reviewer may have found the cinematography/appearance of this film cheap but I found it to be very hipotic. Perhaps people native to the country of the films setting have seen better depictions of their environment, but I think american audiences will enjoy the images. Stellan Skarsgard makes this film worth seeing on his own.

I was REALLY impressed by 'Insomnia', the directorial debut from Norwegian Erik Skjoldbjaerg. If this movie is any indication of his talents he is one writer/director to watch! I have yet to see Christopher Nolan's Hollywood remake of this movie but I would be extremely surprised if it manages to equal it, let alone top it. (And I absolutely loved 'Memento') At first you think you're going to see something you've seen a hundred times, a mismatched "buddy" cop movie or your standard serial killer mystery, but the movie quickly enters unfamiliar territory and manages to subvert expectations. Apart from Stellan Skarsgard ('Breaking The Waves', 'Ronin') the cast was unknown to me, but they are all first rate, and I couldn't say there was a bad piece of acting throughout. But Skarsgard, a woefully underrated actor, steals the whole show with an utterly brilliant and compelling performance that shows a depth rarely seen by Hollywood actors, especially in thrillers. 'Insomnia' is a fantastic movie that I cannot fault. The less you know about it the better. Whatever you do, SEE this movie! Highly recommended, especially for those sick and tired at how most thrillers made these days are so predictable and formulaic. It doesn't have to be so, and 'Insomnia' proves it!

Erik Skjoldbjaerg's 1997 film 'Insomnia' starring Stellan Skarsgard is a fine example of the rich films being offered by the foreign film market. Skarsgard plays Jonas Engstrom, a disgraced detective who, with his partner, travels to Norway to help a small town solve the murder of a 17-year-old girl. Due to the atmospheric conditions (there is 24 hour sunshine) and recent events, Engstrom is suffering from a severe bout of insomnia, which is causing problems with his work and psyche.

Not having seen Christopher Nolan's remake, I didn't know what to expect from the story, so I was pleasantly surprised by the unconventional progression of the storyline and the various twists within the script. I have only seen Skarsgard in a couple of films, but he is always fantastic, as he is in this film as well. There are few actors who can keep a straight face, yet still manage to convey complex emotion, and Skarsgard is one of them. He walked through his scenes with a somberness that is reminiscent of most M. Knight Shymalan heroes; powerful, yet weary. Skjoldbjaergs's direction is absolutely beautiful. The colors are quite sharp, and most scenes are expertly framed – most would make gorgeous still frames.

I plan to see the remake of 'Insomnia' eventually, but whether you have seen it or not, I would recommend catching the film that inspired it. 7/10.

--Shelly

Brilliant, moody, a bit creepy. A noirish thriller. Stellan Skarsgard gives a wonderfully subtle performance in the lead role of a Swedish police detective suffering from sleep deprivation while on assignment in Norway. Stylistically the director and cinematographer effectively recreate the alienated and somewhat hallucinatory feeling of being sleep deprived and in a foreign country. There's more to the story of course, but to reveal those details would spoil the surprises. Be warned, if you like your movie heroes uncomplicated then stay away from "Insomnia".

I used to love going to the video store because there were always so many films I wanted to see, but as my tastes became more refined, my trips to the video store have become more difficult. It's not easy to find movies who's foundation are based on cinematography and atmosphere, but this movie is just that. This movie is slow and drawn out, and if you need lots of dialogue to keep you interested in a film, this one won't work for you. But if you like eerie scenes with quiet reserved characters and a sound track that is as slow and quiet as the pacing is, then this movie is will be perfect for you. The acting leaves nothing to be desired, the story is well written, the sound track is perfectly mood enhancing, the sets are breath taking, and the cinematography is immaculate. Slow, moody, harsh, and absolutely beautiful. One of the best films I've seen in a long time.