Sleepers

You know they are guilty, and the right thing to do would be to trust the system – they need to go to jail for the crime they committed. But the system has failed. So many times. That's why you want the priest to lie, perhaps you want it with all your heart. And then it comes. The three ticket stubs. The farewell party. Such beautiful, intuitive, guileless cheerfulness. Don’t fall for it. As soon as the credits roll you will learn that two of them will never make it to 30. And you find out that the injustice and mistakes never end. That's why 5 stars. It's over two hours long and I still feel like not even twenty minutes have passed since I put it on. Yeah, today was made for this movie. (02.03.2008)

A star-studded film that has three levels. Firstly, it is a story about an extraordinarily strong friendship of four boys growing up in one neighborhood, which is similar to what Sergio Leone portrayed in his famous drama Once Upon a Time in the West. Secondly, it is a film about the failure of a system that allows sexual abuse of boys in a correctional facility and the resulting desire for revenge. Sleepers is not entirely about revenge being everything, but they give off the impression that it is almost everything. Thirdly, it is a classic and many times filmed courtroom drama with a number of impactful performances and twists. It is not a bad film at all, but I had some issues with its ethical implications. The prosecuting attorney, in his pursuit of revenge, collaborates with the underworld and goes to great lengths in his manipulation. The whole thing could easily have gone very wrong. The friendship with multiple murderers and professional criminals is also a bit strange. As an adult, I wouldn't hesitate to break certain ties from childhood. It is a film somewhat in the spirit of the Count of Monte Cristo seeking revenge on those who ruined his life. Moreover, that novel plays a role in the film as well. Overall impression: 75%. (01.08.2009)

A traditionally strong film in terms of story that relies not only on absolutely confident direction, but above all on a stellar cast where no one who can stand out as the best. The best scene, however, is not as remarkable as one would expect. It is the one where De Niro describes the weight deficits with the typical snap we love from famous mafia dudes. If we look at the film as a whole, thematically it is immensely attractive and visually appealing, and that alone makes it essentially fit into the role of a favorite that will simply be liked. And yes, it definitely will. (15.12.2007)