MovieChat Forums > Sleepers (1996) Discussion > Great moments, weak film.

Great moments, weak film.

posted 3 years ago by Drooch (5333)
2 replies | jump to latest

Every ten years I get a strong urge to revisit this film, then I watch it and it’s kind of a slog, but it’s peppered with great moments that nag me to watch it again.

The good - one of De Niro’s greatest characters ever, Father Bobby is a legend. Dustin Hoffman somehow manages to be electric in a courtroom while he’s shuffling around looking at his notes and mumbling almost incoherently, a masterclass in acting. Kevin Bacon makes your skin crawl with his most vile character to date. The ensemble cast is amazing. Good child performances. Nice period setting.

The bad - poor narrative flow, the film feels episodic and lacks momentum, it kind of plods along, jumps, then plods along. Washed out flashback sequences that don’t really land. A feeling that Levinson is trying to do Scorsese and failing (just as Ridley Scott did with American Gangster). Strangely banal performances from Patrick and Pitt.

It’s like a cake with great ingredients that you take out of the oven and it just... collapses.

I think if they let certain scenes take their time and stopped rushing, and maybe went for a 3hr runtime, it would have flowed much better. Levinson is a pro and I know he could handle it. I wonder if the studio made him cut it down.

Ah well, I look forward to being disappointed again in 10 years 🙂

[–] db20db (16208) 2 years ago

I think it's a great story and an often flawed film, and I also revisit it from time to time. Just did so once again.

I don't know how I missed this before, but it's the scene between Shakes, Michael and the humble Asian hot dog vendor just after the acquittal. As they approach him, the viewer gets a sense of imminent irony and poignancy. Instead, it's very shallow, even disgusting. Michael orders one, Shakes commands him to give him "two napkins", just like during the crime which he said would "change their lives forever" and then they walk away without Michael even paying for it. A few moments later, Michael takes one bite and throws it away. In the scene where all concerned in the crime are approaching the courthouse, Shakes in his narration talks about how they had never considered what a hard working immigrant the Greek vendor had been, just trying to provide for his family and the tone was remorseful. Now, it's the same thing all over again, no respect for the hot dog vendor whatsoever! I don't know what the screenwriter and director were hoping to accomplish with that scene but I felt that it failed miserably.

[–] CaptainCrozier (598) 9 days ago

Drooch, I completely agree with your feelings about this film 100%.

It's actually one of the few movies that I would NOT mind seeing a remake of, because I strongly feel that it could have, and should have, been done better.

To your point about Levinson seemingly trying to emulate Scorsese's style on Goodfellas, Sleepers was shot by cinematographer Michael Ballhaus and the assistant director was Joe Reidy, both of whom worked on Goodfellas.

I can't help but wonder if Levinson hired them for that reason specifically and said "I want you guys to do what you did on Goodfellas in terms of the style."