S L E E P E R S
Starring
Jason Patric, Joseph Perrino, Brad Pitt, Brad Renfro, Kevin Bacon, Minnie Driver, Billy Crudup
Rating
Rating within genre
Rated
R for adult language, violence, and sexual situations
Directed by
Barry Levinson
Written by
Barry Levinson
Lorenzo Carcaterra *book*
Genre
Criminal drama/with court drama
Film
Color; 2 hrs. 27 min.
Date of Release
1996
Filming Locations
Newton, CT (USA)
Hoboken, NJ (USA)
New York, NY (USA)
Yonkers, NY (USA)
Synopsis
Based on a true story, four lower class boys from Hell's Kitchen, NY are involved in a theft that goes completely haywire. Their sentence is at least a year in Wilkinson Home for Boys, where they are savagely abused - physically, sexually, and mentally. Years later, when they're all grown up, two of the tetrad see their ex-guard, and shoot him in revenge for everything he'd done. Now their other two friends are working like hell to get them off the hook, believing the brutal killing was justified by the actions taken so long ago.
Summary
This screen adaptation of Lorenzo Carcaterra's true story leaves nothing unsatisfactory. The acting is stunning and authentic, the settings are great, and the all-star cast smoothly takes it away in this brilliant film. Parts of it are sad, other parts funny, and other parts very dark....creating the perfect aura for such a controversial film. Brad Pitt, Jason Patric, and the four younger boys lead you through a realistic and disturbing life-story...supported by the surprising appearance of Dustin Hoffman. 'Sleepers' is an absolutely amazing movie, and surely one you don't want to miss. Also, the book is even better and is sure to blow your mind, so catch that too.
Notable Quotes
"What do you want?" -- Michael
"A blow job. Down on your knees." -- Nokes
"You're asking me to lie. You're asking me to swear to god, and then lie." -- Bobby Brown
"I like anything that don't talk." -- King Benny
"I made you tough. I straightened you out!" -- Nokes
"Oh, is that it? I thought you just liked to f*ck little boys." John (adult)
"They said he died of pneunomia." -- Little Ceasar
"They said." -- King Benny
"What I've always wanted, Nokes, was to watch you die." -- John (adult)
"What about the life that was taken, Shakes? What was that worth?" -- Father Bobby
"To me? Nothing." -- Shakes
Reviews
Stygian Films: "Sleepers is a brilliant and intense film that captures the reality of crime, and how people sometimes end up paying for it."
IMDB (blueice): "This movie is one of the best movies made in a long time."
Movie Thing (David Pickup): "Sleepers won't put you to sleep..."
E! Online: "The dialogue crackles, the direction is sure-handed, the performances sparkle--especially a terrific comic turn by Hoffman that stands out from the ensemble smorgasbord. Based on the bestselling memoir by Lorenzo Carcaterra, the movie is a Dickensian tale of revenge and retribution, cruelty and loyalty, fate and faith."
Cast List
Jason Patric.......................Lorenzo Carcaterra (aka. Shakes)
Joseph Perrino..................Young Shakes
Brad Pitt............................Michael Sullivan
Brad Renfro......................Young Michael Sullivan
Geoffrey Wigdor................Young John Reilly
Robert DeNiro...................Father Bobby
Kevin Bacon......................Sean Nokes
Minnie Driver....................Carol Martinez
Dustin Hoffman..................Danny Snyder
Jonathan Tucker.................Young Tommy
Vittorio Gassman................King Benny
Ron Eldard.........................John Reilly
Billy Crudup.......................Tommy Marcano
Terry Kinney.......................Ralph Ferguson
Frank Medrano...................Fat Mancho
Bruno Kirby........................Shakes' father
Four friends made a mistake
That would change their lives forever....
Also recommended
A Time to Kill
Girl, Interrupted
The Basketball Diaries
Pictures taken from Sleepers Official Site