Sleepers (1996)
Ed Felt Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 5:05PM 
Directed By: Barry Levinson Written By: Lorenzo Carcaterra (book), Barry Levinson (screenplay)
Studio: Warner Brothers
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Patric, Brad Pitt
Synopsis: Boys will be boys, but of course this may have a slightly/completely different context within Hell’s Kitchen, where boys will be boys by stealing hot dog carts and pushing them down on the ostensibly middle upper class because of the extreme malaise of their lives.
Wow, I’m so judgmental. Ok it was an accident, and these naïve, harmless, and God fearing children really didn’t mean it, but this was the pivotal event of their lives, changing everything from that moment forward, leading to the second act in the detention center, and a third act regarding the aftermath of their incarceration. All of this is tied together because Kevin Bacon is a total wanker.
Note: Kevin Bacon is my 3rd, 4th, or 5th cousin…by marriage through Kyra Sedgwick… and even though I’ve never met him, my life is still awesome because I can beat anybody else in 6 Degrees of Separation from Kevin Bacon!
Review: This is one good ol film I’ve been curious about since 10 years after it came out, due to the fact that in my youth, this looked like what I regarded as dummy drivel (AKA not a Bruckheimer production; ironic). However, I finally saw the talent and fairly decent acclaim backing it, prompting me to eventually check a copy after a long wait.
It may have its dull moments, but overall Sleepers contains a fascinating look at childhood bonds, revenge, and morality. The look at what our main characters must go through after being put in an institution is fairly effective without showing too much, due in large part to Kevin Bacon’s character being completely ruthless and inhumane. With this in mind, the controversial path they take as adults is something I can appreciate and accept; payback could not stray far from one’s mind after viewing the torture they endured, even through the fatal accident they caused.
Throughout we have a fairly in depth-look at the main characters and their connections with each other, and along with the decent chemistry between them as children, we can effectively care for them when they become physical/sexual fodder of the guards when incarcerated. The transition to adults, and to our headlining stars, may be awkward and seem to lose some of the characterization from childhood, but they receive help from some major supporting players in an alcoholic lawyer (Dustin Hoffman) and a priest (Robert De Niro, in a wonderfully understated, interesting, and oddly polite role). Here the story becomes slightly more immediate and thrilling; in essence, the whole film heads on an upward slope of intensity throughout, but it does start off in slightly dull territory.
Main aspects aside, the film scores fine points for its interesting and moving John Williams score, as well as creating and using the identity, culture, feel, and environment of Hell’s Kitchen, making the boys and those around them evoke authenticity. There may be overly melodramatic moments, unbelievable connections between past and present, as well as an ending that is not completely satisfying due to revenge being taken too early and stakes not being high enough, but overall I fell for it. In this case, even if you have qualms, it works.
Reader Comments (1)
6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon is good and all but I have you beat on 2 Degrees of Kurt Russell. Back in the '70's he ate dinner at my mom's house! Suck it Ed! :P