Continuity mistake: When Dormer and Finch meet up after the interrogation, Dormer slams Fince against a metal support beam and the position of his hands of Finch change from being pressed against Finch's left cheek to being pressed against his neck/shoulder area as the camera angle changes. Happens about 3 times during scene.
Insomnia (2002)
Plot summary
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Robin Williams, Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, Martin Donovan, Oliver 'Ole' Zemen
Under the glare of the region's perpetual daylight, Dormer and Hap close in on the primary suspect, reclusive novelist Walter Finch. During a tense stakeout on a rocky, fog-shrouded beach, Finch slips into the mist and out of Dormer's grasp. As he makes his escape, shots ring out…and Hap is killed.
As he struggles to cope with his sense of responsibility and remorse over his partner's death, Dormer is forced into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse by the brilliantly malevolent Finch. The stakes escalate as Dormer contends with an unproven but perceptive local cop and becomes increasingly entangled in Finch's web of manipulation.
Unable to find respite from the relentless Midnight Sun or his own distorted judgment, the dangerously sleep-deprived detective finds his stability gravely threatened.
More mistakes in Insomnia
Will Dormer: You shouldn't knock misdemeanors.
Ellie Burr: Oh, but it's small stuff. It gets so boring.
Will Dormer: It's all about small stuff. You know, small lies, small mistakes. People give themselves away, same in misdemeanors as they do on murder cases. It's just human nature. Aren't you gonna write that down?
Trivia: Not a mistake, just something nice to notice: "Dormer" sounds like "dormeur" that is to say the French for "sleeper".
More questions & answers from Insomnia
Join the mailing list
Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.
Chosen answer: It represents Al Pacino's character planting evidence on men he knew were guilty. He was planting the victim's blood on their clothes so the evidence would be stronger against them.
In addition, there is a repeated scene where someone (Dormer) is wiping something on or off a fabric.