Sleeping Dogs

Well, what can I say? This film is a captivating ride from beginning to end. With a solid directorial debut, it skillfully incorporates elements reminiscent of classics like Murder by Numbers and Oldboy. Throughout the narrative, I found myself fully engrossed, a rare feat that kept me glued to the screen without the usual urge for a smoke break. While it draws inspiration from various films, its unique blend creates an intriguing and immersive experience. For aficionados of crime thrillers and murder mysteries, this film is definitely worth adding to your watchlist.

If you're a film junkie like myself then you'll appreciate the time and effort that Adam Cooper and everyone else put in to make this happen.

I enjoyed it. Not my place to say where it could have been improved. It is what it is.

Thank you.

I recently watched the movie "Sleeping Dogs," and I was left completely stunned. After the credits rolled, I could only sit in silence, utterly amazed by what I had just experienced. This film is, without a doubt, the best crime movie I have ever seen.

From start to finish, "Sleeping Dogs" delivers a gripping and intense narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The storyline is masterfully crafted, with twists and turns that are both surprising and thought-provoking. The characters are complex and well-developed, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their journeys.

One of the standout aspects of this movie is its ending. The final scenes are incredibly powerful and leave a lasting impression. They are executed with such precision and emotional depth that they alone make the entire movie worth watching.

Despite its brilliance, "Sleeping Dogs" seems to be underrated based on its current IMDB rating. I urge potential viewers not to be swayed by the numbers. This film is a hidden gem that deserves much more recognition than it currently receives.

In summary, "Sleeping Dogs" is an exceptional crime movie that combines a compelling story, strong character development, and a memorable conclusion. I highly recommend giving it a watch, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Don't let the rating deter you from experiencing this remarkable film.

Many of the facets of this story could have been transplanted to the film noir period of the mid-20th century, and bar the occasional reference to technology (which could have otherwise been replaced for something of those times), this movie could have been set then (LA Confidential, anyone?). But it's not, its setting is contemporary. But I couldn't help but think that I would have liked to have seen this movie, and this cast, in a 1940s film noir. A glam Gillan would have been particularly good!

A drunken ex-cop, with memory loss due to alzheimer's, has had an experimental procedure that may help his condition. He gets approached about an old case he worked on, but cannot recall, and where the convicted man is near to his execution date.

Hiding his condition, out of a mixture of pride and knowing that he would not be seen as competent by those asking for his help, he meets the advocate and then the death row inmate, and believes the convicted man's claims of innocence in the murder he was jailed for.

Despite his condition, the ex-cop decides that the case is worth looking at again. No doubt he also thought that the mental exercise might do him some good - as would doing something useful be to his sense of pride (I state for anyone who can't see this premise as plausible).

As the ex-cop looks into the matter, he not only starts to see other possible suspects to the crime, but starts to regain his own memories, as his experimental medical procedure starts to work.

Large elements of the story are shown in flashback, from the point of view of a manuscript, written by one of the characters involved, as well as shorter flashbacks as the ex-cop gradually recalls his own past. Again, this is reminiscent of film noir, where a character may explain what happened and the movie shows it.

Russell Crowe is convincing as the drunken ex-cop with a shredded memory that is starting to come back to him. Tommy Flanagan is solid in support as his old-partner (he needs more character roles so we can see him more often) and Karen Gillan can now add 'femme fatale' to her acting resume.

This movie is better than most people seem to be saying. It's well told, the central cast are all solid and the story should keep you interested until the end.

It is however an end that not everyone may care for and has a penultimate confrontation scene that I found too contrived.

It's not the most engrossing film and is another one of those thrillers that is more cerebral than it is fast moving, but has interesting characters and an interesting enough plot to reach the end.

If you're hoping for a Russell Crowe action flick, you'll probably be disappointed. This isn't as good as "The Next Three Days", for example, but it's good enough to get Crowe and two of Scotland's best acting talents together on screen.

If you don't like film noir, or are expecting a fast-paced thriller, you may not like this.

Summary: Not bad, not brilliant either. Worth a watch (with the above provisos).

Ahh the old memory-loss thriller. Christopher Nolan mastered it with 'Memento' obviously but there really hasn't ever been a bad one that I can think of. 'Sleeping Dogs' is a solid concept that only lets itself down with a bit of sloppiness in the polish department.

There are some decent actors in this movie, and yet I kept thinking to myself - why is the acting so sub-par? I think the answer lies in the dialogue they were delivering. I think it was written quite clunky and therefore the actors performances come across quite awkward and wooden.

This is one of those films where if you can put all the other stuff aside and just appreciate a good, solid and entertaining story, you're going to enjoy it. If those kind of things tend to bother you, then that may become an issue. Personally, I enjoyed it. 7/10.

One sentence summary: To keep his mind active following an experimental medical treatment for Alzheimer's, a retired detective decides to revisit an old closed case.

While I would stop short of calling Sleeping Dogs a good movie, there is plenty to like about this Russell Crowe-led independent mystery. It unashamedly draws inspiration from films like Memento (2000) and, more recently, Memory (2022), but Crowe's performance is what gives this movie its own spark. The supporting cast provided him with little help, though, as he was noticeably a league above his co-stars. Inconsistent pacing also hurt the film at times, hampering the momentum that the twisty, occasionally convoluted story seeks to build. Luckily, the movie concludes with a bang, delivering a gut-punch ending that is equally satisfying and devastating.