Sleepers

Legedndary Filmmaker Barry Levinson's 'Sleepers' is An Interesting Film to watch. Based on Lorenzo Carcaterra's 1995 novel of the same name, this legal drama comes in-tact with skilled direction & proficient performances to lead it's narrative.

After a prank goes disastrously wrong, a group of boys are sent to a detention center where they are brutalized, physically & mentally. Over 10 years later, they get their chance for revenge.

Barry Levinson's Adpated Screenplay is Convincing. The film has interesting & absorbing moments in the first hour as well as in the second hour. However, the film gets too intense at times, and the faint-hearted are sure to shy away from those portions. Also, the film is very long. It definitely could've been trimmed. Levinson's direction is skilled. Michael Ballhaus's Cinematography is good. Editing is okay. Music by John Williams is impressive.

Performance-Wise: Kevin Bacon is effective as the bad guy. Dustin Hoffman is first-rate, while Bobby De Niro delivers a subdued performance. Brad Pitt is extremely natural. Jason Patric does well. Minnie Driver leaves a mark. Brad Renfro is passable. Others lend good support.

On the whole, 'Sleepers' is worth a watch, as it succeeds by holding your attention almost throughout. Thumbs Up!

This is one of the only films that I can watch time after time and still be highly entertained. The film has many layers and a great cast of fantastic actors. It also has a wealth of superbly drawn minor characters. Bruno Krby is excellent as always as Shakes' dad. A man apparently typical of the community in Hells Kitchen. Proud but ruling his wife in particular with a iron fist. He is portrayed far more favourably than in the book where it is clear he is a lousy father and husband. But it is the ever excellent Kevin Bacon who threatens to steal the show as the deeply disturbing Sean Nokes. He is pivotal to the 4 boys descent in to hell and his evil in the bar scene where he meets his demise sets the wheels in motion for the revenge in the 3rd part of the movie. De Niro is superb as always but has great support in Brad Pitt, Jason Patric, Minnie Driver and Dustin Hoffman. A Must see if you like films of this genre.

The first half of the film is really strong and the scene that serves as the transition to the second half (the bar scene) is fantastic. I felt that the the latter half as a whole was a bit of a bubble though: there is a lot of The Count of Monte Cristo (the book that is referenced in the film a lot, check it out if you haven't) -esque revenge build-up but the payoff is a disappointment. For me, there were also slight pacing issues towards the end, along with some tonal choices I wasn't a fan of. Still, I'd say it's a fairly recommendable drama.

Rating: 6/10

Being a big classic De Niro fan I can't believe I missed this movie for so long. Sleepers is a powerful drama that chronicles the story of four boys who are the victims of horrible abuse. When they grow into broken men facing their trauma, the story shifts gears to a revenge story about manipulating a trial to get true justice and closure. The arc of the movie takes you through a litany thoughts and feelings that affect sexual abuse victims over the course of their lives in a powerful way. The courtroom plot is also very compelling, albeit not exactly rife with external conflict. The struggles take place in the characters hearts and minds and the film conveys it beautifully.

If I had to be super critical I'd say the ultimate fates of the four leads lacks punch because we know it from the outset. It's a small complaint though because the road to get there is so compelling. Sleepers is a powerful, sweeping drama that everyone should see at least once.

If you're able to to turn a blind eye to the implausibility of the end, or instead see it as an interpretation of the lengths people will to go to for justice when the system has let them down then, coupled with the very realistic and believable earlier parts of the story, you have a very sad but not uncommon tale centred on abuse, with outstanding performances all round and a genuine reason to take a blood pressure pill to calm yourself down.