Sleepers Details

With its powerhouse cast and A-list director (Barry Levinson), this drama is long and exudes importance and integrity. So why does it come across as bogus and too hot under the dog collar? Though based on an admittedly controversial autobiography, the plot mechanism and its moral stance — that violent revenge is fully justified — is not totally believable. The story concerns four teenagers who are brought up by a priest. When a foolish prank causes a near-fatal accident, the youths are sent to jail where they are repeatedly abused by the guards. Years later, they plot revenge. The big themes pile up, but Levinson keeps the story rolling and vividly evokes the hothouse atmosphere of New York's Hell's Kitchen. And the cast is truly impressive: Robert De Niro as the priest, Dustin Hoffman as a lawyer, Kevin Bacon as a prison guard, and Brad Pitt and Jason Patric as two of the now grown-up abused children. It's often impressive, but always a bit suspect.

"...Colorful characters, richly evoked settings...and a good dose of good old-fashioned epic star power....There's a lot to enjoy in this impeccably structured, handsomely produced saga..."