Sleepers Review

When it comes to films, my personal philosophy is that the optimum way to enjoy the story is to know almost nothing about what you’re watching. The less you know, the more immersive your experience becomes, unaffected by other’s opinions and previous knowledge. This is precisely how I entered Sleepers- with nothing more than my mother’s recommendation and a slight awareness of the cast.

The film follows four young boys, who after a serious altercation with a stolen hot dog cart, are sent to boy’s reform school where they are physically and sexually abused by several guards, specifically Nokes (Kevin Bacon) who appears to embody all concepts of definite evil. 11 years later, the boys are still struggling to cope with their horrors which, for the sake of avoiding spoilers, leads them to revenge and a series of courtroom battles.

One of the major themes of the film is the concept of morality and Robert De Niro provides a fantastic subdued performance as Father Bobby, a man faced with a choice between honesty and protecting the boys of his clergy. Again, Dustin Hoffman works somewhat as comedic relief in the film as a drunken lawyer hired simply for his ability to comply and while Rain Man or Kramer vs Kramer, Hoffman remains in good form and provides an efficient and entertaining performance.

The first act and second acts of the film are where it really excels, by maintaining a strong pace and creating an emotional connection with the young boys that allows the audience to forgive their mischievous nature and truly be disgusted and appalled by some of the abuse scenes. However, the film really begins to slow in its third act, with several plot holes and a lack of attention to detail, and while it still remains enjoyable, the 2hr27min run time seems to drag somewhat.

Positives:  The film offers some really great performances in the shape of not only De Niro and Hoffman but also the young boys and truly finds its strengths within the first act.

Negatives: Towards the end, a few plot holes begin to develop and the portrayal of the boys all grown up is somewhat lacking in comparison to the younger counterparts.

Summary: The film remains enjoyable throughout despite the excessive run time and despite a decline in structure towards the end, at no point does it become dull and remains an entertaining watch.

7/10