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Sleepers

1996

Barry Levinson

Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Patric ...

7.4

47,252

Drama This is a story of four young boys. Four lifelong friends. Intelligent, fun- loving, wise beyond their years, they are inseparable. Their potential is unlimited, but they are content within the closed world of New York City's Hell's Kitchen and to play as many pranks as they can on the denizens of the street. They never get caught until one disastrous summer afternoon. On that day, what begins as a harmless scheme goes horribly wrong. ... [+]

	Media	Author	Review
		Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times	"As entertainment, the movie functions successfully. But I don't believe the story is true--not true to the facts, and not true to the morality it pretends to be about (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"
		David Stratton Variety	"If audiences aren't bothered by this disturbing subtext, there's a lot to enjoy in this impeccably structured, handsomely produced saga"
		Rita Kempley The Washington Post	"Recalls those corny Warner Bros. movies about Dead End Kids"
		Peter Stack SFGATE	"A visual masterpiece that powerfully explores male cruelty, too"
		John Krewson AV Club	"Muddy, confused, and worst of all boring"
		Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times	"In craft terms alone, 'Sleepers' is considerably better than average filmmaking, but it’s difficult to take this film as seriously as it takes itself."
		Steve Davis Austin Chronicle	"Somewhat byzantine in execution and confusing in its logic, the film's second half never achieves the catharsis you'd expect. (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"
		James Berardinelli ReelViews	"Two and one- half hours of gripping entertainment"
		David Ansen Newsweek	Rent the devastating 'The Boys of St. Vincent' to see how slick and hollow 'Sleepers' is, how little it reveals about the real nature and effect of child abuse.

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