Wide Awake at “Insomnia”

By DUNCAN STRAUSS

I absolutely loved “Memento,” Christopher Nolan’s time-warped thriller that bristled with supremely inventive filmmaking--an unusual tale (an oddly-amnesiac man hunts for a killer) told in an unusual way: backwards.

As confounding as “Memento” was--I saw it a coupla times in theaters and now own the DVD, yet the thought of a pop quiz on the minutiae of plot points makes me nervous--it all did add up, and then some, because everything was grounded in a tightly-structured, extraordinary screenplay. When it came to the Oscars, with all due respect to Julian Fellowes, who won for Best Original Screenplay, I think Nolan was robbed.

Nolan’s follow-up, “Insomnia,” arrives sporting some striking differences, starting with the fact that he didn’t write this film (its actually a remake of a ‘97 Norwegian flick), and it stars three--count ‘em!--Oscar winners. Hey, I thought Guy Pearce was stellar as “Memento”’s memory-deficient dude, but a movie obviously generates a whole different level of marquee power when it’s headlined by Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hillary Swank. This is a big movie with a big cast and a big mainstream release.

Nolan has traded up, clearly, but he hasn’t traded off a thing. If anything, he arguably does a better job of directing here--would you want to direct Williams and Pacino? Immensely talented men, sure, but I think it’s safe to say both could’ve often benefited by being a touch more reigned-in onscreen, and in Williams’ case that added restraint should maybe start when he’s choosing his projects. But Nolan apparently brought both a firm hand and a deft touch to guiding his stars away from that pit of Nothing-Succeeds-Like-Excess.

Pacino is pitch-perfect as gum-chewing, ultra-assured detective Will Dormer, whose confident mien is slowly nibbled away by severe sleep deprivation and his internal torment, while Williams is subtle, creepy, and compelling; just so. Swank holds down a much smaller job, but probably travels the largest character arc, and does so in winning, winsome fashion.

Given the way he handled his hotshot actors--and what he did with “Memento” -- it’s probably no surprise that Nolan fashioned a taut, exciting, truly thrilling yarn that’s rarely less than riveting, whether we’re watching Pacino and Williams square off in intense cat-and-mouse exchanges, immersed in the hell-ish effects of Dormer’s sleep deficit/struggle, or simply presented stunning shots of the picturesque Alaskan village where “Insomnia” takes place.

As the village innkeeper, Maura Tierney is underused, but she’s so good (and underrated?) that I pretty much always think there should be more of her. But that’s about the level of legitimate quibbles someone could have with this film. “Insomnia” is excellent. And seeing Christopher Nolan operate in the indie world with a low-key cast, then guide a major feature starring a trio of Oscar winners--and score major triumphs with both--certifies him, in my book at least, as a first-rate filmmaker.