Revealing mistake: When Dormer fails to pursue Finch during the log chase scene, he climbs out of the water by a ladder. If you look at Dormer's back as he gets out of the water onto the dock you can see an outline of the life jacket Pacino wore to film the scene. You can see the outline again when he turns around and walks up the walkway. (01:00:49 - 01:01:11)
Insomnia (2002)
1 revealing mistake - chronological order
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Robin Williams, Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, Martin Donovan, Oliver 'Ole' Zemen
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.
Ellie Burr: A good cop can't sleep because he's missing a piece of the puzzle. And a bad cop can't sleep because his conscience won't let him.
Trivia: Al Pacino's character is named Will Dormer; Dorm is the latin root for 'sleep'.
Question: At the end, Maura Tierney is lying on Al Pacino's bed, having a nap/sleep. Are we then to presume they had sex before Pacino went to the airport to catch his plane back to LA?
Chosen answer: Since no answer is given in the film, the audience must make their own assumptions.
Answer: OMG, even my 7-year old daughter realised that the scene was made for the exact opposite reason. Dormer and Tierney talked "all night" and Tierney was sleepy. Dormer and Tierney had a genuine (if short-lived) friendship. Her sleeping on his bed only referred to their trust in one another. His bed had no metaphorical meaning. In fact, it was Ellie who developed a strong crush on Dormer. A crush that interfered with her objectivity as a policewoman.