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From Amazon.co.uk
The first thing you need to know about Sleepers is that it's based on a novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra that was allegedly based on a true story. The movie repeats this bogus claim, which was attacked and determined by a wide majority to be misleading. Knowing this, Sleepers becomes problematic because it's too neat, too clean, too manipulative in terms of legal justice and dramatic impact to be truly convincing. And yet, with its stellar cast directed by Barry Levinson, it succeeds as gripping entertainment, and its tale of complex morality--despite a dubious emphasis on homophobic revenge--is sufficiently provocative. It's about four boys in New York's Hell's Kitchen district who are sent to reform school, where they must endure routine sexual assaults by the sadistic guards. Years after their release, the opportunity for revenge proves irresistible for two of the young men, who must then rely on the other pair of friends (Brad Pitt, Jason Patric), a loyal priest (Robert De Niro), and a shabby lawyer (Dustin Hoffman) to defend them in court. Despite the compelling ambiguities of the story, there's never any doubt about how we're supposed to feel, and the screenplay glosses over the story's most difficult moral dilemmas. At its best, Sleepers grabs your attention and pulls you into its intense story of friendship and the price of loyalty under extreme conditions. The movie's New York settings are vividly authentic, and Minnie Driver makes a strong impression as a long-time friend of the loyal group of guys. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Product Description
Brand new and sealed!! Please note this is the region free USA edition!! Get it quick!! Get it now !!
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By N. Oliver
Format:VHS Tape
Barry Levinson directs this film based on the book by Lorenza Carcattera about four friends growing up in Hell's Kitchen, New York......and how one mistake ruins their whole lives. An excellent cast including Robert De Niro, Kevin Bacon, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Patric and Brad Pitt make this film an absolute must for any film fanatic. Yes, the film does include scenes of sexual and physical abuse suffered by the boys when they are sent to a reform school but that is not what this film is about. Its really a tale of revenge and friendship - both of which are tightly bound together in this film. Levinson is not heavy handed in his direction and allows the actors free range to explore their individual characters with great effect. Although two Hollywood greats are present in this film (Hoffman and De Niro), the parts they play are such, that you don't really notice them and thats a good thing. No one actor should be greater than the story being told and there is no greater evidence of this than in this movie. Watch and savour each scene - it is a wonder that this film is overlooked so often by the movie going public - sheer brilliance is never so evident than here.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
It's amazing.... The film is so well organised that you forget that it all happened over a hot dog. Some brilliant acting, a gripping storyline, with heart-wrenching moments. I thoroughly recommend this film to anyone
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By "edude2005"
Format:DVD
The judicial system is supposed to protect them. But when a youthful prank in New York's Hell's Kitchen spins out of control, the punishment doesn't fit the crime. Sentenced to the Wilkinson School for Boys, four pals are mistreated at will by a cadre of sadistic guards. Now, 15 years later, they have an unexpected opportunity to use that system - for revenge. Friendship. Loyalty. Retribution. From its tell tale opening lines to its stunning courtroom climax, Sleepers makes for dramatic and spellbinding entertainment.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By "gem_lc"
Format:VHS Tape
if you haven't read the book then i beg you to watch the film. It is the most compelling film you'll ever watch, a bit doom and gloom at times, but hey that's real life. The acting is amazing, especially from the younger lads, and of course such legands as DeNiro and Hoffman. It's a hard-hitting and intelligent story that is sure to have to gripped all the way though.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A story set in Hells Kitchen New York. The tale of 4 best friends who make a mistake that they could never of forsaw the consequences. De Niro leads the allstar cast as a truly heart warming priest a world away from his usual expected mob characters. A powerful performance by Kevin Bacon makes your stomach churn in anger and pain. The truly most shocking ingredient of all a true story.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
For its quite all-star cast I found it a little strange that I'd never heard of
this film since its release in 1996 and it was only on a television rerun that I
actually caught seeing it. The film is an excellent portrayal of young wasted lives
and eventual revenge but mixes this with questions of conscience and loyalty.
The story begins telling the tale of the lives of four young boys, John, Michael,
Tommy and "Shakes", living in the Hell's Kitchen area of New York. The
neighbourhood is a mix of immigrant families, usually Italian, and it is ruled by
the unspoken rules of how the immigrants all protect each other. The two sources of
authority are the church featuring the charismatic Father Bobby and the local mafia
boss King Benny. The four boys are solid friends and spend their days playing stick
ball, performing altar duties at the church and getting into usual youthful pranks.
Their lives are set to change forever when one such prank goes calamitously wrong
and results in serious injury to an innocent bystander.
The boys are sent to a reform school and this is where the nightmare starts. A
brutal and vicious guard named Sean Nokes runs a paedophilic ring of other
perverted guards and between them they subject the boys to horrific sexual abuse and
rape. Throughout their terrible ordeal the boys are determined never to let their
secret be reveal and they make a pact not to ever tell anyone one the eve of
Shakes's release
This then is the cue for the second half of the film that deals with the revenge
the boys meet out to Sean Nokes.... Read more ›
this film since its release in 1996 and it was only on a television rerun that I
actually caught seeing it. The film is an excellent portrayal of young wasted lives
and eventual revenge but mixes this with questions of conscience and loyalty.
The story begins telling the tale of the lives of four young boys, John, Michael,
Tommy and "Shakes", living in the Hell's Kitchen area of New York. The
neighbourhood is a mix of immigrant families, usually Italian, and it is ruled by
the unspoken rules of how the immigrants all protect each other. The two sources of
authority are the church featuring the charismatic Father Bobby and the local mafia
boss King Benny. The four boys are solid friends and spend their days playing stick
ball, performing altar duties at the church and getting into usual youthful pranks.
Their lives are set to change forever when one such prank goes calamitously wrong
and results in serious injury to an innocent bystander.
The boys are sent to a reform school and this is where the nightmare starts. A
brutal and vicious guard named Sean Nokes runs a paedophilic ring of other
perverted guards and between them they subject the boys to horrific sexual abuse and
rape. Throughout their terrible ordeal the boys are determined never to let their
secret be reveal and they make a pact not to ever tell anyone one the eve of
Shakes's release
This then is the cue for the second half of the film that deals with the revenge
the boys meet out to Sean Nokes.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Maddie
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I watched this film years ago on TV and thought it was a good film, then when going through the films on the Amazon web page I decided I wanted to see it again. Would reccomend.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By G Hynes
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
One of the best films in the noughties.
Just rewatched after 10 years and it's just as interesting, thought provoking, shocking and well acted as I remember.
If you haven't seen it, I can only thoroughly recommend you add it to your collection.
Just rewatched after 10 years and it's just as interesting, thought provoking, shocking and well acted as I remember.
If you haven't seen it, I can only thoroughly recommend you add it to your collection.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
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4.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
No Sleep - Watch
To replace video copy as film is very good with very good performances from many stars. Looking forward to watching dvd with better reproduction and much better sound. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Noddie
1.0 out of 5 stars
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
found it very boring and got fed up with it. kept fast forwarding to see if anything happened and ejected it as not fast paced enough for me
Published 17 days ago by jez
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exellent
Very deep and moving book.
I enjoyed it very much.
The characters were very real, and i believe it could have been a true story. Read more
I enjoyed it very much.
The characters were very real, and i believe it could have been a true story. Read more
Published 19 days ago by mags 1949
3.0 out of 5 stars
Decent drama just unpleasent
Unpleasent picture the scenes of abuse are sick but nothing too graphic although the actings the highlight just give it a watch but it is not a good scorsese film its more of his... Read more
Published 3 months ago by juliedilworth
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Well priced & speedy delivery. A product that i wouldn't hesitate in reccommending. It was a gift for somebody and they loved it!
Published 4 months ago by Dunny
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sleepers (Blu-ray version)...
Director Barry Levinson's star studded 1996 production which is the story of four young boys growing up in the "Hell's Kitchen" district of New York in the 60's whose life's are... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Milt Ingarfield
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sleepers DVD
Seen this film before, but its one of the greats and has stood the test of time so ordered it again and enjoyed it.
Published 4 months ago by tillyann
2.0 out of 5 stars
ok here's the deal.....
Brought this movie from a cash and carry recently. When I got home I'd realised someone had replaced the DVD with four slices of honey roast ham. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Captainscribe
4.0 out of 5 stars
Read the book and watch the film
There is no doubt to me that the book is better than the film.
However the film adaptation is pretty good and well worth watching. Read more
However the film adaptation is pretty good and well worth watching. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mr. S. J. Bracken
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of the best films in the world :)
amazing heart renching film will have you in tears ! one of my favorite films,dont want to give to much away but its worth every penny
Published 5 months ago by shelley
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