Insomnia

Christopher Nolan's 2002 film follows Dormer, a detective sent to investigate a murder in Alaska. He cannot sleep because the sun does not set. A mistake he makes in the fog changes everything. The film builds its tension on judgement broken down by sleeplessness; the narrative makes the killer and the detective sharers of the same secret. It is a remake of a Norwegian film. Al Pacino and Robin Williams lead, with Williams unusually cast in a dark role. Who it's for: those who like character-driven detective films. Who it's not for: viewers expecting the structures of Nolan's later work; this one runs straight.