Sleepers (1996)
Average Rating: 6.6/10
Reviews Counted: 52
Fresh: 38 | Rotten: 14
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 6.6/10
Critic Reviews: 11
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 3
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 87,698
My Rating
Movie Info
Barry Levinson directed this crime drama based on a controversial bestseller. Jason Patrick stars as Lorenzo, a New York reporter more commonly called "Shakes," a nickname courtesy of his three childhood pals from Hell's Kitchen -- Michael (Brad Pitt), John (Ron Eldard), and Tommy (Billy Crudup). As kids, all four were sent to reform school after accidentally killing someone during a cruel prank. There, the boys were raped and beaten by several guards, including Sean Nokes (Kevin Bacon), a fact
Oct 18, 1996 Wide
Sep 25, 1997
Warner Bros. Pictures
Watch It Now
Cast
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Kevin Bacon
Sean Nokes -
Robert De Niro
Father Bobby -
Dustin Hoffman
Danny Snyder -
Billy Crudup
Tommy Marcano -
Bruno Kirby
Shakes' Father -
Jason Patric
Lorenzo a.k.a. Shakes -
Vittorio Gassman
King Benny -
Brad Pitt
Michael -
Minnie Driver
Carol -
Ron Eldard
John -
Brad Renfro
Young Michael Sullivan -
Wendell Pierce
Little Caesar -
Aida Turturro
Mrs Salinas -
Terry Kinney
Ferguson -
Peter Appel
Boyfriend -
Eugene Byrd
Rizzo -
Ben Hammer
Judge Weisman -
Michael P. Moran
Juvenile Judge -
James Pickens Jr.
Marlboro -
Larry Romano
1st Man -
Tom Signorelli
Confession Man -
Henry Stram
Prison Doctor -
Jonathan Tucker
Young Tommy -
William Butler
Juanito -
John Slattery
Fred Carlson -
Joe Urla
Carson -
Saverio Guerra
2nd Man -
Jeffrey Donovan
Addison -
Frank Medrano
Fat Mancho -
Dash Mihok
K.C. -
Joe Perrino
Young Shakes -
Geoffrey Widgor
Young John Riley -
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Sleepers Trailer & Photos
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (14) | DVD (5)
It is all legally preposterous. But Levinson is a slick craftsman, his actors are insinuatingly real, and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus casts a disarmingly believable light on these proceedings.
If audiences aren't bothered by this disturbing subtext, there's a lot to enjoy in this impeccably structured, handsomely produced saga.
Levinson has done nothing to sift the half-truths from the melodrama...
At times the images are agonizing to behold, men in their most desperate, hateful depths preying on children. The film, exceptional on many counts, ultimately is sad in a hopeless, haunting way.
Idealized? You bet. That's why the loss of this world must be avenged with the same broad strokes that you'd expect from the Count of Monte Cristo.
In craft terms alone, Sleepers is considerably better than average filmmaking, but it's difficult to take this film as seriously as it takes itself.
Tense and gripping, with first-rate acting, but coincidences, hyperbole, and improbability, too. (Blu-ray edition)
...it's more than a bit disconcerting to see how the narrative makes serious wrongdoers sympathetic. Therefore, a qualified success.
Despite it all, just try to take your eyes off this movie: skillfully crafted by Levinson, Sleepers is eminently watchable, deeply emotional, and populated with top acting talent. [Blu-ray]
Powerful story of child abuse. Not for kids.
Boasting a glorious multi-generational cast (De Niro, Hoffman, Brad Pitt, Jason Patric), Levinson's tale of sexual abuse and revenge is just decent, lacking dramatic energy and relying too much on voice-over narration and conventional courtroom procedures
Disturbing, but compelling and provocative.
One thing you will not being doing after seeing this dark, yet beautifully written film, is sleeping.
Disturbing and powerful
Brad Pitt and Jason Patric are, sorry to say, far overshadowed by their more mature colleagues. Neither has any real presence, in my mind, especially Pitt, whose star power is far greater than his acting ability.
Audience Reviews for Sleepers
Super Reviewer
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- Lorenzo a.k.a. Shakes: The future lay sparkiling ahead and we thought we'd known each other forever.
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- Lorenzo a.k.a. Shakes: [narrating about Father Bobby] I told him about the torture, the beating and the rapes. I told him about four frightened boys who prayed to Father Bobbys God for help that never came. I told him everything.
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- Carol: Mug me or marry me, Shakes. I'm too tired for anything else.
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- Carol: The man I know is not the boy you remember.
- Lorenzo a.k.a. Shakes: None of us are.
Discussion Forum
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Top Critic
Growing up in Hell's Kitchen, four close friends, Shakes (Joe Perinno), Michael (Brad Renfro), John (Geoffrey Wigdor) and Tommy (Jonathan Tucker) fill their days playing pranks and making their own entertainment. However, one of their pranks lead to a man getting seriously injured and they are sentenced to time in the Wilkenson Detention Centre in upstate New York. In the centre they are subjected to beatings and sexual abuse by the guards. Over ten years later, two of the boys take revenge on one of them (Kevin Bacon), which drags up the past and involves everyone they know.
What we have with "Sleepers" is a stellar cast, a more than capable director and a story that's purportedly based on fact. There's really not that far you can wrong in these instances but, unfortunately, it's the "based on fact" angle that let's this film down. Everything else is handled with skill, but no matter how well it's delivered, it leaves an aroma that smells vaguely of garbage. It's too far fetched and under closer scrutiny and investigation, the events that writer Lorenzo Carcaterra claims to be true, are unfounded. There simply isn't any evidence of them. Now, if this film just played out as a piece of storytelling then that issue wouldn't exist and you'd be able to sit back and enjoy what this film has to offer. And what it has to offer is plentiful. The cinematography by (Scorsese regular) Michael Ballhaus, captures the look and feel for the times that reflect, in some ways, an urban version of "Stand By Me" in the earlier part of the film and Levinson does a very professional job on his direction duties. Where his strength lies is in drawing out brilliant performances from his impressively assembled cast: Throughout an abundance of familiar names, it's Patric (playing writer, Carcaterra) that get's the most focus but the rest still get enough to work with; Bacon verges on the stereotypical side but still channels an effective sadistic presence; Pitt, in a lesser role (when he was still on the rise) captures the cocksure arrogance required and the always reliable and masterful Hoffman brings a lot of depth and humour with his subtle mannerisms. At the risk of sounding biased, though, it's DeNiro that impresses most as the avuncular priest, Father Bobby. He delivers one of the most endearing and charismatic performances of his career and happens to have a moment in the film where his expression is solely focussed on, as he hears about the tragic and abusive events that took place. He doesn't utter a word, but his pain, anguish and compassion is expressed entirely and powerfully within his eyes. The only drawback amongst the performances is that the greats of DeNiro and Hoffman don't get a chance to share much screen time together. (In fairness, Levinson rectified this in his later movie "Wag The Dog" and subsequently they have shared the screen in the "Meet The Parents" sequels). These two fantastic actors have never really went toe-to-toe on dramatic terms, though, and this film seems like a missed opportunity on that level. As for the structure itself, it's a film of two halves; the first concentrating on the boys' high jinks (again, with great performances from it's young actors - Joe Perrino and Brad Renfro being the standouts) while the latter half descends into a formulaic courtroom drama which stretches credulity and eschews any form of logic in order to deliver the drama. It's during this, that the "true" nature of the story becomes seriously questionable and we're also left with an overhanging, dubious message on justice. Despite these issues, though, there are many highlights to be found and at nearly two and half hours long, it's never dull. Whether or not it's true is another matter but at the very least, Carcaterra has written an emotional and involving tale.
Flawed and uneven with a conclusion that simply doesn't convince, but if you're able to sidestep these faults then there's still a great film at it's core.
Mark Walker