Four teen friends from the Hills Kitchen are sent to the reform school after they made a big mistake and killed a man. After arriving at the school of reform, they were treated brutally by guards who were arrogant. After a long time, John and Tommy grow up and become men who may look worse than the past, retaliating after 10 years in prison. They are sued by another member of their gang and is now DA's assistant, under mysterious circumstances.
If audiences aren't bothered by this disturbing subtext, there's a lot to enjoy in this impeccably structured, handsomely produced saga.
Groucho Reviews
August 02, 2011
Despite it all, just try to take your eyes off this movie: skillfully crafted by Levinson, Sleepers is eminently watchable, deeply emotional, and populated with top acting talent. [Blu-ray]
At times the images are agonizing to behold, men in their most desperate, hateful depths preying on children. The film, exceptional on many counts, ultimately is sad in a hopeless, haunting way.
Idealized? You bet. That's why the loss of this world must be avenged with the same broad strokes that you'd expect from the Count of Monte Cristo.
EmanuelLevy.Com
August 23, 2009
Boasting a glorious multi-generational cast (De Niro, Hoffman, Brad Pitt, Jason Patric), Levinson's tale of sexual abuse and revenge is just decent, lacking dramatic energy and relying too much on voice-over narration and conventional courtroom procedures
It is all legally preposterous. But Levinson is a slick craftsman, his actors are insinuatingly real, and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus casts a disarmingly believable light on these proceedings.
