Factual error: Al Pacino is the subject of an internal affairs inquiry in Los Angeles. It's unlikely a police officer under investigation in L.A. would be sent to Alaska to work on a murder case. Police officers under investigation are routinely given desk assignments until officially cleared and allowed to return to active duty.
Insomnia (2002)
1 factual error
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, Martin Donovan, Oliver 'Ole' Zemen, Robin Williams
Continuity mistake: In the scene on the ferry, when Williams and Pacino are talking, in the shots showing Williams, Pacino is facing the center of the ferry frequently, while immediately afterward in the shots showing Pacino, he is facing Williams again.
Walter Finch: You forgot the wild card, Will.
Trivia: Al Pacino's character is named Will Dormer; Dorm is the latin root for 'sleep'.
Question: Why does Dormer switch to a backup gun while chasing the killer in the fog? It is never explained.
Answer: Plot device to make Ellie look like a super sleuth remembering Dormer even carries a backup. When Hap and Dugger were comparing guns Hap says he and Dormer both carry S&W .45s. This makes the 9mm casing Ellie found a complete mystery to everyone else. So why the switch? Dormer's primary might be empty, but this is the first time Dormer shoots and all the characters act like there are only two shots fired in the fog, so for it to be empty he would have to be terribly sloppy. If he's so bad he forgot to load his gun it's equally likely he left the safety on. Maybe Dormer is just so used to being a dirty cop he instinctively uses the backup whenever possible to create an alibi. Ultimately, there is no explanation for this in the film, and if blink you don't even see the switch and are very confused when the 9mm casing shows up in the first place, if Nightmute carries.40, and Dormer .45, then 9mm has no place at all.
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Chosen answer: Because he ran out of bullets in his first gun.