Recensioni degli utenti

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.

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.

This movie is one of the best movies made in a long time. Previous comments seem to focus more on whether or not the story is true and seem to forget the phenomenal story. Who cares if the story is true or not? If it is, it only makes the movie that much more disturbing and heart-breaking. What is the big deal if it is or isn't true? It is still an amazing movie with a great story. Most so-called "classics" are not based on true stories, so what makes this movie any different? OK, now that I have said my peace about my feelings about the authenticity of the story, I can now comment on the actual movie. I can not say enough positive things about the movie. The actors are perfectly casted. I think every single one of them do an outstanding job in their portrayal. The story is heart-wrenching and it does an excellent job of getting its point across without showing or saying too much. This movie deserves more than it got.

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

This is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Was totally captivated from the beginning to the end. Picked just the right guys to play the parts and Kevin Bacon couldn't have been any better. Jever watch a movie more than once but had to watch this a couple of times. Watch this movie. Guarantee you'll be glad you did!!

I love this movie for its honesty, and sadness... But most of all i feel for these 4 boys, and all the other young boys around in this world being abused. Carcaterra you have my respect! I think the cast in this movies is awesome and they all do an incredible job playing the main characters... The boys in particular... I am sure those scenes where they were abused was hard to do...This is a must see film for all people, and a must read book as well. It is brilliant, and really honest. A true story about 4 boys worst nightmares at a boys home, and how they got their revenge...It is so brilliant that i am amused it is a true story, and not a Hollywood written screenplay.... Amused in a positive way!

Witness: why nobody wanted to bring "Jerry" the bartender? He could "end" the case in a minute. Maybe Jerry is feared? Am I missing anything?

Sleeper(1996) is a deeply emotional and brilliant film that was overlooked in 1996. It deals with the past and how events from the past can be instrumential in shaping the present. The movie was very controversial due to the subject matter. I believe that one reason that Sleepers(1996) didn't get the praise it deserved is the film deals with things that were already present in Mean Streets(1973) and Once Upon a Time in America(1984). The first half of the feature reminds me a lot of the flash back sequences from Once Upon a Time in America(1984). Brad Pitt gives what I see as the best performance of his life. What I also like about Sleepers(1996) is that it puts together two of the best actors of their genreation in Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro.

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.

Started extremely well. The second half was very cliché and unrealistic.

"Sleepers," is a captivating, taut, ride. It's well-crafted visually and storywise, keeping my attention from the first plot point to the last, which is hard to do, as I see dozens of movies each week. I can't believe I missed this back in '96. It must have been the pedestrian title, but at any rate, the performances were top-notch and the story, both intriguing and heart-wrenching. One seemingly harmless lifting of a hot dog, places four lives in a juvenile system that rips their promise apart. Wow. Who cares if the story is true, the movie is entertaining and a fun ride!

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!

I watched this back in 1996 and maybe a few times since. It's one of those movies that hits hard no matter how many times you see it. The boys in the movie are the real stars, the big names. You could say that they were a hard act to follow. Innocence is lost and buried in the past and forgiveness is never sought by the boys. What follows afterwards is more like a modern fairy tale where the ending is the audience is asked to patiently await the only possible outcome after so many years of waiting. I'll probably watch it again just to remind me that there is both justice and salvation in the world.

The first half of Sleepers is gut-wrenching, disturbing, and brilliantly acted by the young stars. Watching their mistake and the exorbitant price they pay for it, you feel their guilt and their subsequent victimization to the point of physical discomfort. You can't wait for the second act when the villains will be brought to justice and you'll feel just great about the whole thing. . .right?

Then you get the second act. It turns into a showcase for hot young over-actors who could learn a thing or two from their younger counterparts. DeNiro's character is the most compelling and the movie would have done better to involve him more, but because of the cursory examinations Ron Eldard and Billy Crudup (and the screenplay) provide their characters, you never fully believe DeNiro would do what he does. Brad Pitt and Dustin Hoffman try like heck to make their plotline ring true, while Jason Patric and Minnie Driver just sit there and whine as if the story itself provides the tension they lack.

Plotwise, the second half provides only one real moment wherein the wounds begin to heal, with the testimony of one of the villains. The rest of the act, the movie and Hoffman double plead their own case. They're innocent, but if they're guilty it's still OK. The nonsensical mafia subplot seems a weak device to tie up loose ends, and where does DeNiro come up with his ace in the hole anyway? Sloppy writing that leaves the viewer still licking the wounds of the first half.

"Sleepers" is the name given to young people who commit infractions and are sent to reformatories, as if during the time they were there it was a period of hibernation. But instead of dreaming, sometimes what happens is that they do not go through an apprenticeship that enables them to be reinserted in society. Generally, these delinquent children live, with their eyes wide open, a real nightmare. That's what "Sleepers" is all about.

The film, written and directed by Barry Levinson, best known for "Rain Man", features what might be called a constellation of actors, from Kevin Bacon (Footloose), Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver) and Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man) to Brad Pitt (Seven). But despite all these stars, Jason Patric, from "The Lost Boys", stars in the story set in the "Hell's Kitchen" neighborhood of New York. It's very difficult to know what Barry Levinson wants from the movies. He can sign Oscar-winning films without ever going down in history ("Rain Man"). Or that can go down in history for inconsequential ("Bugsy") or catastrophe ("Toys"). The feeling of incompleteness that most of his works provide is directly proportional to the double commitment he seems to have assumed: to develop a line of intellectual films (in Hollywood's sense of the word), without scaring the public away (the so-called "great audience") of the cinema. "Sleepers-Sleeping Vengeance" is perhaps his most successful film, as he manages his commitments in a harmonious way.

The year is 1967, everyone in the neighborhood knows each other and lives with crimes in the streets and homes naturally, what happens outside the neighborhood seems to belong to another reality. In this scenario, a group of four friends steal a hot dog cart and the crime takes on much greater proportions than they imagined, leading them to Wilkinson boarding school, where they suffer all kinds of abuse and see their lives transformed.

The film is divided into three acts, narrated in excess by Jason Patric's character, Lorenzo Carcaterra, the author of the pseudo-autobiographical book on which "Sleepers" is based and a descendant of immigrants like everyone else in the group. In the beginning, it shows the childhood until the incident with good scenes. It's the most inventive part of the film in terms of filming and language, there are crane movements, long shots and tracking shots that give the story a good rhythm. Here, Levinson achieves much more than composing a correct setting. He describes the way of life, the poverty, the contradictions, the pleasures, the faith in this immigrant neighborhood. He creates an intimacy between the viewer and the places and characters he describes. Even the episode that triggers the plot (the theft, at first inconsequential, of a hot dog) is narrated in a light, humorous way, and produces a very efficient shock with its dramatic consequences.

This first half of the film, which narrates the childhood of the four friends, is, without a doubt, the best. Levinson proves to be a great storyteller in bringing such distinctive characters to life. We have Father Bobby, masterfully played by Robert De Niro; mob boss King Benny (Vittorio Gassman; the sadistic Nokes; and, of course, Bruno Kirby as the hero Shakes' father. In fact, Kirby steals the show as a fat, bald, extremely violent man with his wife, whom he repeatedly beats up times.

The second part shows the four boys who are taken to a reformatory at the Wilkinson Reformatory, where they are attacked and even raped by the terrible guard Nokes (Bacon) and his three shift companions. Here, Barry Levinson leaves the harrowing film that we hope will soon end all that torture those boys are subjected to. Frightened and watched by guards during Father Bobby's visits, they buried this secret along with their childhood. As in the movie The Count of Monte Cristo, naivety gives way to rancor and a thirst for revenge (Shakes even gets a copy of this book from Professor Carlson). It is a tense moment in the film, in which happy moments alternate with others a little constrained by the need to maintain good tone in the face of a subject that is not very favorable to this (sexuality).

But overall, Levinson says what he has to say. Here, we also have their exit from the place after their time in seclusion and what each became years later with the idea of revenge hovering over their heads. The director manages to convey with lyricism the feeling of the character Lorenzo Carcaterra at the moment of maximum prison: solitary confinement. The protagonist sees in his hand illuminated by a beam of light the projection of unfulfilled dreams. It is small moments and artistic freedoms like this that give a lyrical look that is often important and left out.

The story then jumps 15 years and now adults, fate offers an opportunity to do justice. From there, "Sleepers" changes focus and turns into a conventional judgment film in this third part. It was to be expected that the stellar cast, which mixes actors from different generations, would result in something not very functional. However, Levinson manages to "tame" possible ego flares very well.

Between crimes, court, conspiracies, "Sleepers" becomes uneven, alternating better and worse moments. What was initially proposed as a film of ideas (about poverty, the Catholic faith, adolescence, the tension between sin and innocence, salvation and loss) is diluted and becomes a film of stars. We turn to pay attention to the priest (Robert De Niro - There is one scene, in particular, worthy of note: when Shakes is telling the priest about the horrors he lived in the reformatory, the camera remains fixed on De Niro's face, who, without saying a single word, expresses all his grief and horror at what he is told), at the lawyer (Dustin Hoffman, great, as it hasn't been seen in a long time), at the prison guard (Kevin Bacon), at the sympathetic gangster (Vittorio Gassman) , in the ex-teens (Brad Pitt ahead).

The film's success has since revolved much more around its performances than anything else. The precision of the beginning tends to settle down, regressing to standard Hollywood humanism, fed by a plot capable of lulling the viewer for about 150 minutes and often leaving him curious about the evolution of events. The final scene is touching and celebrates the friendship between the boys, now adults full of trauma, but who enjoy a rare and final moment of happiness in a group, interspersed with the narration of the fate of each of the characters.

However, Levinson's long-winded script has its flaws. In addition to the film's pace dropping abruptly when it becomes a courtroom drama, as already said, we see perfectly expendable scenes that seem to have been included only so that the director could use them, once again, as a resource to get an Oscar. Not to mention that the film's tension point centers on a certain decision De Niro's character has to make. The problem is that, from the beginning, there is no doubt about what he will decide. Those who didn't find out weren't paying attention to the movie. Another flaw is the abrupt transition that occurs between the two parts of the story, which leads the viewer to wonder who those 'new' characters are. There is also a sub-theme that is practically just "cited" by the script, without being developed: the romance between the social worker played by Minnie Driver and the characters of Jason Patric, Brad Pitt and Ron Eldard.

At the time of its release, "Sleepers" established itself as a huge box office success. With a production budget of just $44 million, the film earned a final box office gross of $165 million. The film was even deservedly nominated for an Oscar for Best Score, produced by iconic composer John Williams. "Sleepers" does not disappoint especially in the performances and script. There is its great beginning, an uneven middle and the courageous conclusion to the constructed plot, showing. Shocking at times, with unexpected and strong scenes, "Sleepers" is courageous showing a plot about the effects of the abuses and how the trauma affects the lives who suffered it forever. It is one of those cinematic experiences that are worth it, even if they are not as remarkable as Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River (2004)", shot years later and similar to this film.