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Sleepers

7.4

47,841

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Original title

Sleepersaka

AKA

Sleepers

Year

1996

Running time

140 min.

Country

United States

Director

Barry Levinson

Screenwriter

Barry Levinson. Novel: Lorenzo Carcaterra

Cast

Music

John Williams

Cinematography

Michael Ballhaus

Producer

Warner Bros., Propaganda Films, Baltimore Pictures, Polygram Filmed Entertainment. Distributor: Warner Bros.

Genre

Drama | Teen/coming-of-age. Courtroom Drama / Lawyers. 1960s. 1980s. Sexual Abuse

Synopsis

This is a story of four young boys. Four lifelong friends. Intelligent, fun- loving, wise beyond their years, they are inseparable. Their potential is unlimited, but they are content within the closed world of New York City's Hell's Kitchen and to play as many pranks as they can on the denizens of the street. They never get caught until one disastrous summer afternoon. On that day, what begins as a harmless scheme goes horribly wrong. And the four find themselves facing a year's imprisonment in the Wilkinson Home for Boys. What happens to them over the course of that year will change their lives forever. Years later, one has become a lawyer. One a reporter, and two have grown up to be murderers, professional hit men. For all of them, the pain and the fear of Wilkinson still rages within. Only one thing can erase it. Revenge.

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Awards: 1996: Nominated for Oscar: Best Original Soundtrack - Drama

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Critics' reviews

"As entertainment, the movie functions successfully. But I don't believe the story is true--not true to the facts, and not true to the morality it pretends to be about (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"

Roger Ebert: Chicago Sun-Times
"If audiences aren't bothered by this disturbing subtext, there's a lot to enjoy in this impeccably structured, handsomely produced saga"

David Stratton: Variety
"Recalls those corny Warner Bros. movies about Dead End Kids"

Rita Kempley: The Washington Post
"A visual masterpiece that powerfully explores male cruelty, too"

Peter Stack: SFgate
"Muddy, confused, and worst of all boring"

John Krewson: AV Club
"In craft terms alone, 'Sleepers' is considerably better than average filmmaking, but it’s difficult to take this film as seriously as it takes itself."

Kenneth Turan: Los Angeles Times
"Somewhat byzantine in execution and confusing in its logic, the film's second half never achieves the catharsis you'd expect. (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"

Steve Davis: Austin Chronicle
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Ranking Lists Position

68 My Favorite Dramas (191)
90 My Favorites from the 90s (99)

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Sleepers

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