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Stellan Skarsgård, Gisken Armand, Maria Bonnevie, Bjørn Floberg, Sverre Anker Ousdal

Norwegian filmmaker Erik Skjoldbjaerg makes his directorial debut with the psychological police drama Insomnia. Swedish homicide detective Jonas Engström (Stellan Skarsgård) and his partner, Erik Vik ... read more read more...(Sverre Anker Ousdal), arrive in a small Northern Norwegian town to help the local police investigate the murder of a teenage girl. When Jonas finds the girl's backpack, he sets a trap for the killer near a remote shed. While waiting to make an ambush in the morning fog, Jonas accidentally shoots Erik. He knows it was only an accident, but he decides to keep it a secret because he could lose his job. Jonas chooses to carry on with his investigation while trying to cover up the evidence of Erik's death. Meanwhile, he's unable to get any sleep due to the constant sunlight of the Norwegian summer and his increasingly guilty conscience. His only help comes from highly intuitive local police officer Hilda Haugen (Gisken Armand), who begins to form her own doubts about Jonas. As he continues to lose his grip on the case at hand, he becomes dangerously close to the suspects, Jon Holt (Bjørn Floberg) and Frøya (Marianne O. Ulrichsen). Filmmaker Christopher Nolan directed the English-language remake of Insomnia in 2002 with Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

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73% liked it

8,036 ratings

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32 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Erik Skjoldbjaerg

Release Date: May 29, 1998

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DVD Release Date: July 27, 1999

Stats: 335 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (335)

  • RCCLBC
    September 9, 2010
    RCCLBC
    An interesting (if not a bit frustrating) film, about how one bad decision made in clouded state of panic / shock can quickly develope into a full-blown shit storm.

    I think that perhaps a little more development of the main character (Skarsgard) early on, would have made for a... read more little better understanding as to why such poor judgement was used. I still don't fully understand "why", at least nothing that makes a whole lot of sense.

    I think the antagonist (Bjorn Floberg) summed it up best towards the end of the film when he asks "Why didn't you just tell the truth? A few months suspension and everything would be back to normal." Which is what I was thinking through the entire film.
  • matertenebraum
    July 19, 2009
    matertenebraum
    As is always the case when American producers decide to remake a relatively unknown foreign film, there are a lot of people that say this Norwegian film is better than the American one. In actual fact, there's not a lot in it; but this film deserves more credit for having the ori... read moreginal idea, and it has to be said that the idea is a good one as this film carries off it's central theme and plot in style, and the two blend excellently to create a compelling and intriguing psychological portrait of both a criminal and the effects of not getting enough sleep. The film carries off an excellent reversal in the common psychological theme, in that this time; it's the daylight that causes all the horrors. Insomnia takes place in Norway where, for one half of the year it's light and the other half it's dark. It's currently light, and detective Jonas Engström has been assigned to a case involving a murdered girl. The plot thickens when the detective accidentally shoots his partner whilst chasing the killer, and then proceeds to cover up the murder he has committed while the search for the girl's murderer continues.

    The American remake adheres to the plot of the original rather closely, and that's a shame for someone like me who has seen the remake as I always knew what was going to happen next. But even so, while the plot didn't contain any surprises for me; watching the detective's descent into insanity owing to his insomnia makes for a great watch, and the as the plotting is expertly handled by director Erik Skjoldbjærg, watching it play out is always a pleasure. Stellan Skarsgård takes the lead role, and while he may not have the star power of Al Pacino, he manages to deliver a darker and all the more believable performance as the put-upon policeman at the centre of the tale. In fact, all the ensemble cast comes together well and the film feels very much like an A-class production at all times. Insomnia features a number of memorable scenes that help to ensure that the audience will remember it beyond just its central ideas; and overall, it's clear that the writing team have succeeded in making a film that transcends its cat and mouse formula.
  • DrZeek
    August 12, 2008
    DrZeek
    Holt: He who sleeps, does not sin.

    A well made and well acted crime thriller involving a morally ambiguous lead, placed into a plot steeped in noir, despite the fact that the city is cursed with eternal sunlight.

    Similar to watching Infernal Affairs after The Departed, I was be... read moreginning to feel that this film was going to be tainted by its remake. Now the remake is a good film (I mean it has Pacino and is directed by Chris Nolan, why wouldn't it be), but the original is better due to the treatment of its lead character.

    Stellan Skarsgard stars as Jonas Engstrom, a well regarded homicide detective with a bit of a dark side to him. He and his partner have been brought from Sweden to a small Norwegian town to investigate the murder of a young girl.

    As the investigation goes on it looks like there may be a break by holding a stakeout. However, this goes horribly wrong as Engstrom, within a deep fog, accidentally shoots his own partner, killing him. Even more of a problem is the fact that the killer the detectives are pusuing, witnessed Engstrom do the deed.

    Now, Engstrom and the killer face a battle of wits, as neither wants to be caught and the duality between them is tested. Engstrom also faces, as the title suggests, insomnia due to the everlasting daylight during the summer in Norway, causing him to dwell more on his guilt and character traits.

    The movie is very well made. It looks great in a depressing, washed out sort of way, which wonderfully reflects the mood of both the story and Engstrom's character. Speaking of which, Skarsgard is wonderful as Engstrom, conveying a number of different emotions as this detective who has so much going on under his confident detective exterior.

    Once again, the remake, which many have seen, certainly makes this film feel very familiar, but I certainly can appreciate this film more because of the way it develops itself and plays with the detective and the murderer.

    Holt: She just laughed. She laughed and laughed.
  • arashxak
    September 26, 2007
    arashxak
    An unsual dark thriller, So much better than Nolan's remake
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    March 6, 2007
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    I loved the remake, but the original is better.
  • MightySparks
    October 19, 2010
    MightySparks
    It was odd. It didn't really go anywhere, although it was ok. The title of the movie didn't really seem... played up and so it all seemed rather pointless. And there were some random things that the main character did (the dog, the girl in the car)...
  • threefolddado
    August 13, 2007
    threefolddado
    Great. Better than the remake, which was also good.
  • pacardullo
    March 20, 2012
    pacardullo
    Well-done Norwegian neo-noir/psychological thriller. A Hollywood remake followed a few years after this one.
  • juliantoepfer
    December 31, 2011
    juliantoepfer
    Pretty disappointed with this one. After seeing Christopher Nolan's American remake, I was expecting something far better than this. Extremely slow-moving and uneventful.

    Even promising aspects of the story are underdeveloped and anticlimactic. Decent acting and script, but re... read moreally nothing worthwhile ends up happening with a promising premise. Skarsgrd's character is twice the bad guy the villain is, making you pretty much route against the 'hero'. While this is an interesting angle, it is left half cooked and largely unexplored.

    Good cinematography and a solidly built film from a technical standpoint. I know alot of people praise this film for its minimalistic and dark film-noir characteristics, but overall, this production is dwarfed by the American remake, and I would strongly recommend that version above this.
  • MARS9T8D4
    January 11, 2010
    MARS9T8D4
    A Swedish detective investigating a murder in a Norwegian town finds himself battling his guilt, insomnia, and inner demons.

View All Insomnia Reviews

Critic Reviews

Pablo Villaca
July 17, 2006
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

Mais cínico que sua refilmagem, o filme cria menos tensão por não levar o espectador a simpatizar com seu protagonista. Em contrapartida, é mais enxuto, disciplinado e conduz sua trama com mais segura...

Spence D.
November 7, 2003
Spence D., IGN Movies

A cold and stark amoral thriller.

Ken Hanke
January 16, 2003
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Superior thriller that was improved upon when remade in English.

Rumsey Taylor
December 16, 2002
Rumsey Taylor, Not Coming to a Theater Near You

In Insomnia the murderer and his investigator possess a human capacity for mischaracterizing traits; this is a realistic scenario in which temptation houses a narrow threshold. Full Review

Maitland McDonagh
June 18, 2002
Maitland McDonagh, Film Journal International

Haunting rather than jolting; an ice pick to the heart rather than a pump-you-up roller-coaster ride. Full Review

Jeremy Heilman
May 24, 2002
Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com

It's centered by an accomplished performance by Stellan Skarsgård. Full Review

Steve Rhodes
January 1, 2000
Steve Rhodes, Internet Reviews

Stellan Skarsgard delivers a masterful performance. Full Review

Jeff Vice
January 1, 2000
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City

It may have an unlikable hero and a cryptic plot, but the Norwegian film Insomnia works - if for no other reason than the fact that it gets the atmosphere right. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
January 1, 2000
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Skarsgard's chilling performance exploits his character's flaws and the mysterious Norwegian atmosphere gives this film an appealing film noir flavor. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
April 5, 2012
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

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Insomnia Trivia

  • What links this movies? It Insomnia Carrie Misery The Shining   Answer »
  • The Cure for Insomnia (1987) is the longest movie ever made at a total running time of 85 hours (5,220 min) . It premiered in its entirety at The School Of The Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois from January 31 to February 3, 1987, in one continuous showing.   Answer »
  • True or False: George Clooney is partly responsible (behind the camera) for the movies: Good Night and Good Luck, Insomnia, and Rock Star.  Answer »
  • In "The Machinist" what does Christian Bale's character suffer from?  Answer »
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