Sleepers

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.

I really liked this movie. Great acting, great direction, great plot!

As another reviewer pointed out, the movie indeed has 3 parts. before,at and after the correction center. All three parts are equaly gripping. Except that the part in the correction center is very dark and disturbing.

Brad Pitt shines in a small role he has. So does Jason Patrick. Hoffman has his ususal confused charisma. Rest of the supporting cast is excellent too. Especially the denizens of hell's kitchen. Kevin Bacon looks realy menacing. But the person who realy shows his caliber again is de niro. He has one of these rare "non-swearing" roles of his. There is a scene where Jason Patric tells the story of the abuses they faced, and the camera focusses on Robert De Niro's face. Only thing changes is his eyes, from sharp and focussed at the first, you see them widening and then you see some trace of tears. Great! This scence reminds me of Omar Shariff standing on a balcony while soldiers start mayhem on the streets, in Dr. Zhivago.

A good care has been taken in getting child stars and adult stars look pretty similar.

Only thing li'll bit out of the place is constant referance to Count of montecristo. The revenge in the book is "sweet lasting revenge" where in this movie its straight shot. But heck! this is real life!

the last night the friends spend together is also really touching.

my rating 9/10.

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

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.

Sleepers is one of theses films which disturbs, provokes and affects the audience deeply. It leaves some wounds, injuries, traces. This mixture of "GoodFellas" and "Once Upon a Time in America" directed brightly and brilliantly mingles a lot of subjects, issues and themes. While throughout the movie, intimacy, religion, thought seem to be the ways for enduring the violence, hoping and believing, trust, relationships, friendship seem to be the ways for saving each other. A great film.