4K Ultra HD Review – Sleepers (1996)

      Sleepers, 1996.

      Directed by Barry Levinson.

      Featuring Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Bruno Kirby, Jason Patric, Brad Pitt, Brad Renfro, and Minnie Driver.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Barry Levinson’s lesser-known classic from 1996, Sleepers, makes its entrance into the 4K Ultra HD format with a commendable disc presentation and a digital copy code. However, the bonus features include only two brief new featurettes.

      I don't have pleasant memories of my school years due to various encounters with bullies, but those experiences pale in comparison to what the children in Sleepers endure. Written and directed by Barry Levinson, the 1996 film is adapted from a book that claims to depict real events, yet has been dismissed by the authorities at the school where the alleged abuse took place.

      Despite any doubts about the story's authenticity, it’s evident that many children in similar situations have faced horrific events. The narrative follows four boys: Lorenzo “Shakes” Carcaterra (portrayed by Jason Patric as an adult and Joe Perrino as a child), Michael Sullivan (played by Brad Pitt and Brad Renfro), John Riley (Ron Eldard and Geoffrey Wigdor), and Tommy Marcano (Billy Crudup and Jonathan Tucker).

      After a prank goes disastrously wrong in New York City during the summer of 1967, the boys are sentenced to stay at Wilkinson Home for Boys in upstate New York. There, head guard Sean Nokes (Kevin Bacon) engages his fellow guards in the physical and sexual abuse of the four boys.

      By 1981, John and Tommy have turned into lifelong criminals, and when they encounter Sean in a bar, they confront and kill him in vengeance. Michael, now an assistant district attorney, gets assigned to the case intending to handle the prosecution poorly while exposing the abuse from 24 years prior.

      Shakes assists Michael with this plan, which also involves recruiting an alcoholic defense attorney, Danny Snyder (Dustin Hoffman), to represent the two men. Michael guides Danny on which witnesses to call and what questions to pose. Eventually, he seeks the help of Father Robert Carillo (Robert De Niro), who has known the boys since they were young, to help create an alibi for John and Tommy. He is also aided by Carol Martinez (Minnie Driver as an adult; Monica Polito as a child) as he attempts to execute the scheme without disclosing his true intentions, which would have significant implications for his career.

      Sleepers is a well-crafted film featuring strong performances, but I wouldn’t say any of the performances are exceptionally remarkable. I also find that Jason Patric’s voice-over lacks emotional depth, though opinions may vary. Nonetheless, this is a film that’s worth seeing if you haven’t checked it out yet and appreciate the cast.

      This marks the film’s first appearance in the 4K Ultra HD format, and it has been restored from the original camera negative. Fortunately, the grain typical of a film from this era remains, with excellent detail and solid black levels, which is essential as much of Sleepers takes place in dimly lit settings.

      In line with Warner Bros.' recent pattern, this is a single-disc release accompanied by a digital copy code. The additional content consists of two short featurettes that total just under 15 minutes. They both showcase Levinson discussing the film, but unfortunately, neither delves into great detail.

      I suspect the interview with him was much longer, but perhaps the choice was made to keep the bonus material concise to ensure ample bandwidth for the film. While that decision is understandable, it would have been beneficial to have more content available with the digital copy. (I checked mine in Movies Anywhere, and it only includes the two featurettes.)

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

      Brad Cook