Sleepers

Sleepers centers on four friends who endure abuse at a brutal reform school in their youth. Years later their shared trauma surfaces when the past collides with present day choices about how to respond to cruelty and injustice. As investigators and a sensational trial push the case into the public eye, the men wrestle with loyalty, guilt, and the line between punishment and revenge. The film blends courtroom drama with hard edged memories, asking how much revenge is acceptable when a system fails to protect the vulnerable.

Directed by Barry Levinson, Sleepers is an adaptation of Lorenzo Carcaterra's novel and was released in 1996. The film pairs a starry cast with a hard edged crime drama that centers on the long shadow of childhood trauma.

Sleepers earned about 165.6 million worldwide against a 44 million budget, signaling strong commercial appeal for a heavy drama.

Over the years the film sparked conversations about vigilante justice and abuse in reform facilities, aided by tense performances and a courtroom sequence that left audiences debating morality and consequences.

Critics generally praised the performances and Levinson's direction while noting the film's brutal material and tonal shifts. The story probes memory loyalty guilt and the blurry line between punishment and vengeance.