AniInterview
Sorry, this movie sucks
Brendon Jones
It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.
Aiden Melton
The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.
merklekranz
An upscale drug dealer, Susan Sarandon, trying to get out of the business for a future in cosmetics, leaves her runner, Williem Dafoe, with an uncertain future. This straightforward story is propelled by Dafoe's heartfelt performance. Make no mistake, this is Willem Dafoe's movie, and "Light Sleeper" takes the audience into his dark world. The acting by everyone is extremely convincing, including an almost unrecognizable David Spade. Willem Dafoe's torment is presented in such a believable manner he elicits sympathy despite his unsavory occupation. .................................................................. Recommended viewing. - MERK
valerie-86
I was surprised to see this movie follow so closely the beats and phrases of American Gigolo in so many ways. SPOILER ALERT --- For Instance, the nice guy protagonist - feeling guilty about his profession, decides he has reached a moral high ground in his life and wants to change. As if by accident, he meets the woman capable of making him a changed man - in this case, it was an ex-wife. They rekindle their passions, only to find complications. Those complications, coupled with a homicide investigation (involving a client) makes life a living hell for our protagonist. In the end, both Gere and Defoe share that obligatory jail scene with their "loved one" claiming that they are "saved" by their love. Although the basic plot lines are similar, the movies are different in many ways. SLEEPER seemed to be less fleshed out in characterization. We never completely scratched the surface of the characters. All seemed to have more "submerged" beneath the surface than visible to the audience (which was frustrating) because we basically LIKE these people, even if they are Drug Dealers. Sarandon is superb in this movie - makes you wish she did more like this. But all in all, it mirrored American Gigolo so closely that by the time the final scene played out, I was laughing out loud at the obvious similarities to Gigolo. Not an homage - but a rip off, apparently.
rdeschene3
About 10yrs ago I became aware of this movie and, as a result of the Last Temptation of Christ, I was already very curious about Willem Dafoe's other roles. I have occasionally looked for copies of this movie in small town rental stores and discount bins to no avail.I finally broke down and bought Light Sleeper on DVD and I am very happy I did. This is one of Dafoe's better roles -- his performance is almost always very good, but let's face it, he's taken on a few weak roles in the past: "Clear and Present Danger" springs to mind here. Not much script to work with.But then there's Affliction (same screenwriter as Light Sleeper), LTofC, Platoon (an over-dramatic production, IMHO), Triumph of the Spirit, To Live and Die in L.A. (good fun for Michael Mann and William Peterson fans)...so that's why I finally bought this DVD.Anyways, I think Willem Dafoe's performance was comparable to Triumph of the Spirit, as was the script and production. Susan Sarandon was a pleasant surprise - I thought she might bring the movie down by being too dramatic or "sex kitteny", but this is right around the period she began to play the role of a woman and not a girl.As far as Michael Been's songs in the soundtrack are concerned: I'm a modest fan of "The Call" and I rather enjoyed the soundtrack. It is a movie of its time in that the songs are featured more prominently in the mixing level and duration than one would expect of today.I found the story compelling: I cared what happened to the characters next. In my opinion, if a movie can't do that it's wasting precious minutes of my life. I donate exceptional movie DVDs to our local (small town) library collection, and this will be one of them.
Didier (Didier-Becu)
I guess I am the one to blame but I never understood this picture, not in the cinema not on telly and it has nothing to do that Schrader is a "difficult" director as I always adored "Mishima" which must be one of the most difficult mades ever made, but I blame it a bit on the acting as Dafoe and Sarandon do their job in a professional way but it's done without any depth. We follow the journeys of John LeTour (Dafoe) who is a drugsdealer who is now clean and during his "job" he meets old persons back who were addicted, also Marianne (Dana Delany) who used to be LeTour's lover. The day Marianne got killed Dafoe comes into a real personal crisis as he can't decide whether he has to love or despise his "job". Won't go any further as otherwise I tell you too much that might spoil the fun but even if this Schrader's fave movie I have other opinions swirling inside my head, just don't get it....
