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Insomnia Details

1997 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 1692 members

Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard gives a compelling performance as Jonas Engstrom, an exiled Swedish city detective working in Norway who travels to the small coastal town of Tromso in order to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. When he makes a fatal mistake in the investigation, however, his own conscience, coupled with .. Read more

Starring Stellan Skarsgard, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Bjorn Floberg
Director Erik Skjoldbjaerg
Genres Thriller

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Insomnia cover art

Insomnia

Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard gives a compelling performance as Jonas Engstrom, an exiled Swedish city detective working in Norway who travels to the small coastal town of Tromso in order to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. When he makes a fatal mistake in the investigation, however, his own conscience, coupled with the insomnia caused by the 24-hour summer sunlight of northernmost Norway, sets Engstrom on the path to insanity. Director Erik Skjoldbjaerg creates palpable tension in this strong, subtle film. In 2002, Christopher Nolan remade the thriller with Al Pacino and Robin Williams.

Starring Stellan Skarsgard, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Bjorn Floberg
Director Erik Skjoldbjaerg
Studio ARROW FILMS
Run time DVD: 1 hr 32 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Thriller
Language DVD: Norwegian
Subtitles DVD: English
Released DVD: 03 Mar 2003
Production year: 1997
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (2) of Insomnia

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    Debutant director Erik Skjoldbjaerg pulls off something of a generic coup here, by staging a film noir in the relentless glare of the midnight sun. Set in an isolated town on the polar extremities, the action begins with a hunt for the killer of a teenage girl. But, once city cop Stellan Skarsgård accidentally shoots his colleague during a bungled ambush, the emphasis shifts to his struggle to remain focused on the case while battling his suppressed sense of guilt. Dazzlingly photographed by Erling Thurmann-Andersen, this taut thriller stints on narrative complexity, but it packs quite a psychological punch.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • Two city cops arrive to help the locals investigate a murder. Jonas (Skarsgård) and partner Erik (Ousdal) are... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of Insomnia

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  • 5 out of 6 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    Looks and feels like a routine TV detective story

    When Hollywood attempts to remake a European film the original is usually very good and the remake often inferior. Considering this I decided to go straight for the original and was not particularly impressed. This is a type of film we have seen many times on TV: a young girl is murdered and a cop with a high reputation is called in to find the killer. As events unfold he becomes more involved in the case than he hoped for with unforeseen consequences.

    The story has some nice touches but the pace is slow, the dialogue dull and the whole film has a rather luke-warm feel to it.

    I am not sure if the remake is any better but the original has not encouraged me to find out, either.

    • ThomasKus
      • ThomasKus from Gloucester
      • Posted 01 Feb 2004 11:38

  • Most recent members' review of Insomnia

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  • 3 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    There is only one Swedish Detective

    Thought I would just mention that there is only one Swedish Detective in the movie. The other guy is Norwegian. This is part of the charm of the film as there is always a bit of banter between Norwegian and Swedish people as the languages are very close but not the same.

    It is a great film all the same though.

      • Bodil from Sutton, UK
      • Posted 24 Feb 2005 14:54

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    Movie legend Al Pacino celebrated this weekend as he was given a life achievement award by the American Film Institute. Currently starring in casino heist comedy Ocean's Thirteen, the man known to many as Michael Corleone was at a loss for words when he accepted the prize, watched by peers such as Andy Garcia, Robin Williams and JFK director Oliver Stone. Other attendees at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood watched a compilation of clips from Pacino's repertoire of classic films, including Serpico, Read more

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1,692 Member ratings
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371
  • 50
193
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136
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76
  • 20
49
  • 10
21

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      • Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard gives a compelling performance as Jonas Engstrom, an exiled Swedish city detective working in Norway who travels to the small coastal town of Tromso in order to ...