RATINGS: IMDB ― 7.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes ― 97%, ME ― 88%
Walter Finch: Kay called and said she and Randy had had a fight. She wanted to come over and talk, meet me at her place. She comes over, she's distraught, a little drunk. She starts telling me how Randy and Tanya were carrying on. I only wanted to comfort her, hold her... I kissed her and... got a little exited... and then... she started laughing at me. She didn't stop laughing. Did you ever have someone laugh at you, Will? You know, when you're really vulnerable, laughing their ass off at you? Someone you thought respected you? Ever have that happen, Will? I just wanted to stop her laughing that's all. And then you know, I hit her. A couple of times, just to stop her. Let her know, a little respect. Randy did it all the time, I think she even liked it when he did it. I mean she never blamed him, she never wanted to leave him. But now I do it, she starts screaming... she wouldn't stop. She's terrified, she's screaming her head off, I put my hand over her mouth. And then I get really scared, I mean, I'm scared shitless, more scared than I've ever been. And I'm more scared than her, and then... everything's clear. There's no turning back. After that, I was calm. Real calm. You and I share a secret. We know how easy it is to kill someone. That ultimate taboo, it doesn't exist outside our minds. I didn't murder her. I killed her. But it just ended up that way.
Robin Williams as Walter Finch
Trivia (From IMDB):
As of 2016, this is the only film directed by Christopher Nolan in which Nolan does not have an official writing credit - even though he wrote the final draft of the screenplay himself.
Although primarily known for comedic roles, this is one of two thrillers in which Robin Williams starred in the same year. The other being One Hour Photo (2002).
Will Dormer's name comes from the Spanish word "dormir"―to sleep.
Insomnia (2002) and Following (1998) are the only movies directed by Christopher Nolan that are not listed in IMDb's Top 250 as of 2016. His other 7 movies are a part of the best 250 movies ever made as voted by IMDb users.
This film stars three Academy Award Winners: Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, and Robin Williams.
Robin Williams speaks his first line 47 minutes into the movie and he doesn't appear on screen until 58 minutes in. His character, Walter Finch, does appear earlier in the film, but is not identifiable and is possibly played by a stand-in.
Harrison Ford was considered for the role of Will Dormer (Al Pacino).
The script adaption written by Hilary Seitz had Al Pacino's character, Will Dormer, arriving in Alaska, the film's setting, as a detective from Oregon. Pacino's executive assistant at the time, Tim Judge, suggested to Pacino that Oregon be changed to Los Angeles and further suggested it be added that Pacino's character had planted evidence to get a conviction which put an innocent man in prison back in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Internal Affairs was suspicious and was pursuing Dormer to bring him back to Los Angeles for questioning. Also, Judge suggested that the real criminal in the Los Angeles case was Walter Finch, portrayed by Robin Williams. In fact, it was the similarities in the crimes occurring in Alaska that brought Dormer there in the first place, not so much just to help his friend, the police chief Nyback played by Paul Dooley. Christopher Nolan liked the changes and added them to his director's pass on the script.
The film is a remake of Norwegian film Insomnia (1997), in which Stellan Skarsgård is cast, while the 2002 remake stars Robin Williams. Williams and Skarsgård worked together in the critically acclaimed film, Good Will Hunting (1997).
This is Nolan's only modern film (post 2000) not nominated for any major awards.
Jonathan Demme considered directing.
Robin Williams and Paul Dooley previously co-starred in Popeye (1980), as Popeye and Wimpy.
Insomnia is director Christopher Nolan's first theatrical movie to be fully exhibited in Color. In his previous theatrically released movies, Following (1998) is a full black & white feature while Memento (2000) composes both black & white and color sequences.
Just two weeks after the film was released in Bulgaria, it premiered on the Bulgarian HBO.
Walter Finch uses a 12 gauge double-barreled shotgun at the end.
Both Robin Williams and director Christopher Nolan have a connection to the comic book character Batman. Williams was originally slated to play the Joker in Batman (1989) and was later approached to play the Riddler in Batman Forever (1995) while Nolan directed the Dark Knight Trilogy later on. Also Nicky Katt is in suicide squad which features Batman who is part of the comic book franchise.
Martial arts star Loren Avedon has a small uncredited role.
Spoilers ―
Some more explicit or dark details were changed from the original Norwegian film Insomnia (1997) such as: the dead dog Dormer shoots in this film is alive in the original; Dormer does some reckless driving to scare the dead girl's friend, in the original he grabs her between the legs; Dormer and the hotel clerk share their thoughts a lot in the film, in the original they flirt a lot and he almost rapes her; the extremely downbeat ending in the original has been changed.
According to the script, Dormer was originally supposed to survive at the end and be helped away from the Lake House by Ellie. This ending was filmed but cut as the film's conclusion was ultimately changed.
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