Taglines: When friendship runs deeper than blood.
Sleepers movie storyline. Lorenzo “Shakes” Carcaterra, Tommy Marcano, Michael Sullivan, and John Reilly are childhood friends in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City in the mid-1960s. The local priest, Father Robert “Bobby” Carillo, serves as a father figure to the boys and keeps an eye on them. However, they start running small errands for a local gangster, King Benny.
In the summer of 1967, their lives take a turn when they accidentally almost kill a man after pulling a prank on a hot dog vendor. As punishment, the boys are sentenced to the Wilkinson Home for Boys in Upstate New York; Tommy, Michael and John sentenced to 12-18 months, while Shakes is given 6-12 months. There, the boys are systematically abused and raped by guards Sean Nokes, Henry Addison, Ralph Ferguson, and Adam Styler. The horrifying abuse changes the boys and their friendship forever.
During the boys’ stay at the facility, they participate in Wilkinson’s annual football game between the guards and inmates, one that the latter lose on purpose to avoid reprisals from the former. Michael convinces Rizzo, a black inmate, that they should play as hard as they can to show the guards they can fight back. Rizzo agrees, and helps to win the game. As a result of this, Shakes, Tommy, Michael, and John are all beaten and thrown into solitary confinement for several weeks, and the guards beat Rizzo to death.
By the spring of 1968, shortly before Shakes’ release from Wilkinson, he insists that they should publicly report the abuse, but the others refuse, knowing that no one would believe them. They all therefore vow never to speak of the horrors and abuse the guards put them through once they are all out.
Lorenzo “Shakes” Carcaterra, Tommy Marcano, Michael Sullivan, and John Reilly are childhood friends in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City in the mid-1960s. The local priest, Father Robert “Bobby” Carillo, serves as a father figure to the boys and keeps an eye on them. However, they start running small errands for a local gangster, King Benny.
In the summer of 1967, their lives take a turn when they accidentally almost kill a man after pulling a prank on a hot dog vendor. As punishment, the boys are sentenced to the Wilkinson Home for Boys in Upstate New York; Tommy, Michael and John sentenced to 12-18 months, while Shakes is given 6-12 months. There, the boys are systematically abused and raped by guards Sean Nokes, Henry Addison, Ralph Ferguson, and Adam Styler. The horrifying abuse changes the boys and their friendship forever.
During the boys’ stay at the facility, they participate in Wilkinson’s annual football game between the guards and inmates, one that the latter lose on purpose to avoid reprisals from the former. Michael convinces Rizzo, a black inmate, that they should play as hard as they can to show the guards they can fight back. Rizzo agrees, and helps to win the game. As a result of this, Shakes, Tommy, Michael, and John are all beaten and thrown into solitary confinement for several weeks, and the guards beat Rizzo to death.
By the spring of 1968, shortly before Shakes’ release from Wilkinson, he insists that they should publicly report the abuse, but the others refuse, knowing that no one would believe them. They all therefore vow never to speak of the horrors and abuse the guards put them through once they are all out.
Sleepers (1996)
Directed by: Barry Levinson
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Bruno Kirby, Jason Patric, Brad Pitt, Brad Renfro, Minnie Driver, Billy Crudup, Frank Medrano, Joe Perrino
Screenplay by: Barry Levinson
Production Design by: Kristi Zea
Cinematography by: Michael Ballhaus
Film Editing by: Stu Linder
Costume Design by: Gloria Gresham
Set Decoration by: Beth A. Rubino
Art Direction by: Tim Galvin
Music by: John Williams
MPAA Rating: R for language, graphic violence and two scenes of strong sexual content.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures (USA & Canada), Buena Vista Pictures (International)
Release Date: October 18, 1996
Hits: 485
