Sleeping Dogs Lie

Being a fan of shorts and of independent film, I thought this was worth a try. The plot: A stranger enters a small desert town with information on an old murder. OK, sounds interesting enough... and low and behold I found it exactly that, JUST 'interesting enough' for me to continue watching and not turn it off. It starts off kind of slow, but once the story started kicking in it seemed sort of obvious to me where it was going. The main character is played by Brad Wilk, a musician who could benefit from some acting lessons. But the other actors carried their parts pretty well. The dialog seemed sort of contrived and the flow of the conversations didn't always make sense. But by the time I realized the weaknesses of the film, it was over. Possibly too quickly, as I thought there were some missed opportunities (for example, the very end of the film when the phone rang, I would have liked to seen Asner answer that and hear what was on the other end.) I have to ask, how did this movie win awards? What was it competing against? Possibly only the fans of the musicians in the film were voting. Its not terrible, I just didn't find it that good. 6/10

I'll admit, the only reason I had any interest in this film to begin with was because of Maynard James Keenan. Being an enormous Tool fan, I try to seek out anything and everything the man is involved in. So in one of my routine quests for MJK knowledge, I stumbled upon the site for Sleeping Dogs Lie. I watched the trailer, was immensely impressed, and I ordered the DVD.

I really didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. It had a quirky charm uncommon to many short films. The characters were actually interesting, and the plot was relatively original. And the direction was phenomenal. Each shot appeared expertly planned, yet effortlessly executed. First time director Stuart Lessner did a superb job of giving the film it's own voice and style.

All the performances were solid. Asner is the perfect good IL' boy small town sheriff, and Wilk did a good job in his role, especially considering it was his first gig. But of course Keenan stole the show. And I'm not just saying that because I'm biased. The few minutes he was on screen really were the best of the entire movie. I wish I could see him play this character in a feature length film someday, because it would be spectacular.

I won't spoil anything for those who haven't seen it (which is probably most of you reading this). But I'll just say that the plot goes in directions you won't expect, with an outcome you won't predict. It kept me glued to the screen for the entirety of its short running time. For around $20 shipped, this should be a no brainer purchase for anyone who is at all interested.

Like Chouse1-1 I also stumbled across this film following an interest in Maynard James Keenan from Tool. I enjoyed this short film and I agree that the premise is great. For a short movie it covers what I feel is a 'big' story remarkably well. The performances are excellent, especially Asner and Keenan, and Brad Wilk does a good job in the lead role. The visions that Wilk's character suffers carry well on the screen thanks to some great direction, but its these visions that concern me somewhat.I cant say too much without giving away the end but I feel that explanations are not only not given, but not even considered, (you'll see what I mean). I feel the outcome was slightly predictable but this didn't ruin the overall movie. I am not one to demand explanations for movie curiosities but sometimes I feel some crucial scenes get forgotten about. I urge people to get hold of this movie and give it a go. Despite my concerns it is a great film and did hold me captivated. I do also feel that Keenan could have a great future in film (though not at the risk of ending Tool).

I had heard of this movie from a band web page. I downloaded the trailer and immediately bought the DVD. The trailer doesn't help the viewer figure out what kind of genre picture Sleeping Dogs Lie might be. The cinematography sets the mood of this roller coaster ride from the very first moment. It reminds me of a David Lynch ride, but with out the trippy visuals.

As for acting...well lets just say, some musicians can act. We truly see Hannon (Wilks) is being effected by certain events. Mr. Asner's sheriff actually has depth, as seen through his actions with other characters. Who was that deputy.....ha ha. Maynard brought an oddball but not goofy Deputy to the screen.

Overall, it was one of those I had to watch twice to catch things I might have missed the first time.

I did hate the fact that the BEHIND THE SCENES was longer than the actual production.