Good Sleep

I thought it was time to try another "epic cast" movie, so I watched director Barry Levinson's 1996 movie Sleepers. It tells the story of four young boys in the 1960s who are sentenced to detention in a juvenile facility after a prank goes horribly wrong. There they are abused and tormented by the guards, leaving them all with emotional scarring that lasts into their adulthood.

As I said, it was the cast that really drew my attention to the film. The names just keep coming. The movie features Kevin Bacon, Billy Crudup, Robert De Niro, Minnie Driver, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Patric, Brad Pitt, and Brad Renfro -- and a few other faces here and there, unknown then but more recognized today (like Burn Notice star Jeffrey Donovan). And whether it's a case of a director eliciting good performances, or simply getting out of the way of them, this movie is a real triumph in that department. From top to bottom, every character is crystal clear and interesting.

Because the movie is looking at how childhood trauma shapes adult lives, the movie does end up being a bit long. It feels a bit slow at times, and yet it's hard to know what -- if anything -- should have been cut. Though the movie is really made up of two halves (focusing on the four as young boys, and then as adults), both parts are vital to telling the complete story. Had the movie been made today, I could see the current storytelling trend for "flashbacks" being applied to try to blend the halves together, but I can't really envision that being any more successful.

But the movie definitely works on its audience on a deep emotional level. It's pretty tough to watch at times. Nor does it provide easy answers. The conclusion of the movie is... well, it would be a stretch to even call it bittersweet. Instead, it's just cold and honest.

If you've got the patience for it, and are in a mood where you can take watching a "downer" of a movie, I'd recommend Sleepers. I rate it a B.