RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Sleeping Dogs Lie
Sleeping Dogs Lie

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Sleeping Dogs Lie (2006)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
64 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:50

Fresh:32

Rotten:18

Average Rating:6.1/10

Consensus: Though Sleeping Dogs Lie treats its subject and characters humanely, it's unable to overcome the low-budget production and Bobcat Goldthwait's pedestrian directing.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong and aberrant sexual content, drug use and language.

Runtime: 89 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:Oct 20, 2006 Limited

Synopsis: Bobcat Goldthwait, the frantic, shrieking comedian who gained fame in several POLICE ACADEMY films, follows up his debut feature as a writer-director--1992's SHAKES THE CLOWN--with SLEEPING DOGS... Bobcat Goldthwait, the frantic, shrieking comedian who gained fame in several POLICE ACADEMY films, follows up his debut feature as a writer-director--1992's SHAKES THE CLOWN--with SLEEPING DOGS LIE, a surprisingly tender romantic black comedy. Melinda Page Hamilton gives a terrific lead performance as Amy, a young woman with a deep, dark secret, something very stupid that she did in college. Eight years later, as her relationship with John (Bryce Johnson) intensifies, she considers telling him what she did, as he believes in total honesty. When she finally does, her entire world comes crashing down. Her rather strange mother (a very funny Bonita Friedericy) and hunk of a father (Geoff Pierson) won't speak to her; her drug-addicted loser of a brother, Dougie (Jack Plotnick), revels in her failure and agony; and John is not sure he can spend the rest of his life with someone who has committed such an outrageous act, even if it was a silly mistake that she regrets. Amy, a teacher, finds solace in Ed (Colby French), a coworker going through his own marital problems, but everyone else has abandoned her. Goldthwait has written and directed a very funny, very poignant film, one that looks seriously at the meaning and importance of truth and honesty--and when it is okay to keep some things to oneself. The supporting cast is excellent, including a wry turn by comedian Brian Posehn as Randy, Dougie's drug-addled dealer, who has a crush on Amy. The soundtrack features "You Got It" by Roy Orbison, who actually figures prominently in the rather twisted but charming plot. [More]

Starring: Melinda Page Hamilton, Bryce Johnson, Geoffrey Pierson, Colby French

Starring: Melinda Page Hamilton, Bryce Johnson, Geoffrey Pierson, Colby French, Jack Plotnick, Bonita Friedericy, Brian Posehn, Morgan Murphy, Steve Agee

Director: Bob Goldthwait

Director: Bob Goldthwait
Producer: Marty Pasetta Jr.
Composer: Gerald Brunskill
Studio: IDP Distribution

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Apr 10, 2007

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Sleeping Dogs Lie

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Leaves us with the less than satisfying disturbing message it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
08/30/09
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Anchored, and essentially redeemed, by a fearless performance from Melinda Page Hamilton.

Full Review Source: MovieMartyr.com | comment Comment
02/15/09
Jeremy Heilman
Jeremy Heilman
MovieMartyr.com

...ultimately an emotionally affecting and thoroughly accomplished piece of work...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
02/28/08
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

Bobcat Goldthwait has produced a flm that understands something about the gulf between what men claim they want from women, and the way they behave when we give it to them.

Full Review Source: Cinematical | comment Comment
02/01/08
Karina Longworth
Karina Longworth
Cinematical

I liked the film but thought the bestiality theme held it back. A lot of people won't want to see the movie.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
04/04/07
Phil Villarreal
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

An evenly paced, gently acted and subdued black comedy with a subversive moral at its heart.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
03/16/07
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]

Had me howling with laughter.

Full Review Source: Sun Online | comment Comment
03/16/07
Johnny Vaughan
Johnny Vaughan
Sun Online

Hamilton is wonderful as the bruised victim of an oedipal insanity for truth.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
03/16/07
James Christopher
James Christopher
Times [UK]

This low-budget comedy-drama may not have the glossiest of coats, but nor is it the dog you might be expecting.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
03/16/07
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Channel 4 Film

Despite its vomit-inducing revelation, this is a surprisingly sweet romcom with a strong comic performance by Hamilton and some thought-provoking things to say about relationships.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
03/16/07
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

A bestiality rom-com with unexpected charm. Not quite the dog’s bollocks, but certainly no dog’s dinner either.

Full Review Source: Total Film | comment Comment
03/16/07
Jane Crowther
Jane Crowther
Total Film

Despite being thin on laughs and light on conventional romance, Sleeping Dogs manages to be both warm and witty.

comment Comment
03/16/07
Little White Lies

You can rely on Goldthwaite to demolish sentimental notions with the power of a force ten gale, but clumsy filmmaking seriously hampers his idea's own effectiveness, resulting in a rather plodding black comedy.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
03/13/07
Sam Toy
Sam Toy
Empire Magazine

There's an ingratiatingly quirky spirit which keeps bubbling up in Sleeping Dogs Lie and merrily propels it along

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
03/01/07
David Noh
David Noh
Film Journal International

I can't think of another film that so directly and actively tackles the question of the actual value of honesty.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
01/10/07
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

This shabbily shot comedy about the limits of being truthful is essentially a one-joke premise that spirals into an uncomfortable series of situations.

Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
11/15/06
Angela Baldassarre
Angela Baldassarre
Sympatico.ca

Plays into an almost primal fear that there's something so awful in your past that if you spill the beans the other person will split -- no matter how much he or she professes that nothing you could say would ever have that effect.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
11/10/06
Ruthe Stein
Ruthe Stein
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's not like Amy was a serial canine abuser, for crying out loud. Had she been, the movie would be much more disgusting but also a lot more interesting and potentially more funny.

Full Review Source: Toronto Star | comment Comment
11/03/06
Peter Howell
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A large part of the movie's appeal is Page's ability to make both the entire story believable and her character entirely sympathetic, while Goldthwait muses on the price of absolute honesty with your mate.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
11/03/06
Jane Stevenson
Jane Stevenson
Jam! Movies

Improbably, the movie manages to regroup after its outrageous opening and turn into an unpredictable, almost sweet, romantic comedy about the limits of candour.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
11/03/06
Liam Lacey
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
all

Latest News for Sleeping Dogs Lie

October 23, 2006: RTIndie: David Lynch, Terry Gilliam Living on the Edge of Hollywood
It's a tough time to be a veteran in the indie game. Why are celebrated auteurs David Lynch and Terry Gilliam having a hard time getting their films into theaters? More...

October 19, 2006: Critical Consensus: "Flags" Flies High; "The Prestige" Is Magic; "Flicka" Is A Pretty Good Ride; "Marie Antoinette" Spared Critical Guillotine
This week at the movies, we've got a complex tale of heroism (Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers," starring Ryan Phillippe), a story of dueling magicians... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
77% 77% The Hangover
88% 88% Inglourious Basterds
66% 66% Public Enemies
24% 24% G-Force
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
82% 82% Paranormal Activity
57% 57% 9
44% 44% Jennifer's Body
58% 58% A Perfect Getaway

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Critics' Best & Worst

Critics' Best & Worst

RT's critic friends offer their choices

Total Recall

Total Recall

We list 10 New Year's Eve-themed films!

2010 Movie Preview

2010 Movie Preview

Find next year's top releases!

Shrek is Back!

Shrek is Back!

Celebrate Shrek's return with this trailer!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Harold Ramis Discusses Filmography, Teases Ghostbusters 3 Source: Heeb Magazine
10
  • National Film Registry Adds 2009 Selections Source: Hollywood Reporter
8
  • New Moon Tops Moviefone's 2009 List Source: Hollywood Reporter
26
  • Star Trek Tops 2009's Most-Pirated Movies List Source: Hollywood Reporter
19
  • Weekly Ketchup: Peter Jackson's Secret Sci-Fi Project
111
  • New Toy Story 3 Clip, Photos Posted Source: Slashfilm
26
  • Danny Trejo Talks Machete, Possible Sequels Source: Collider.com
14
  • It's Official: Jackass 3-D Coming in 2010 Source: Collider.com
16
  • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
102
  • Mark Strong Talks Kick-Ass, John Carter, and Robin Hood Source: Collider.com
1
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Avatar, Sherlock, and Alvin Team Up To Break Records
364
  • Critics Choose Must-Sees and Worsts of 2009
201
  • RT Editors Choose Their Favorite Films of 2009!
125
  • RT's Ten Most Popular Movies of 2009
73
  • Weekly Ketchup: Peter Jackson's Secret Sci-Fi Project
37
  • Total Recall: New Year's Eve Movies
35
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: 9 and Paranormal Activity
31
  • Critics Consensus: The White Ribbon Is Certified Fresh
16
  • Friday Harvest: Sherlock Holmes, Toy Story 3, and more!
10
  • What We're Watching on Blu-ray from 20th Century Fox!
2
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Five Favorite Films With Peter Jackson
72
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
22
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
24
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
16
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
24
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Sleeping Dogs Lie at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Sleeping Dogs Lie at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Best Nude Scenes of the Year
Best Nude Scenes of the Year External Link

Moviefone lists their top ten nude scenes from film in 2009.

Hollywood.com's Best of 2009
Hollywood.com's Best of 2009 External Link

Thomas Leupp offers us Hollywood.com's take on the best films of the year.

Best Dozen of the Decade
Best Dozen of the Decade External Link

Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!

Top 10 Movies of 2009
Top 10 Movies of 2009 External Link

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Top 20 of the Decade
Top 20 of the Decade External Link

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo
About Us | Advertise | Contact Us | Press | Careers
IGN | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | Direct2Drive | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Game Sites | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | GIGA.DE | What They Play | Battlefield Heroes
By continuing past this page, and by your continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. | Support | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! RSS Feeds
IGN’s enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA.
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.