SLEEPLESS
US, 2017, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, Scoot Mc Nairy, Dermot Mulrooney, T.I., David Harbour, Gabrielle Union, Octavius J. Johnson.
Directed by Baran bo Odar.
Sleepless did not receive good reviews and so went straight to DVD and television exhibition.
The director Baran do Odar is Swedish and seems to be infatuated with the city of Las Vegas where the film is set, quite a lot of street scenes, quite a lot of the neon hoardings for the casinos, interiors of the casinos themselves.
The action takes place over one night, the robbery of drugs and these drugs being stolen by two police. This provides difficulties for the casino owner who was robbed but had promised the drugs to a high-profile drug-dealing family. Since one of the robbers was a police officer, the casino boss abducts his son, holding him till the drugs are handed over. In the meantime, and internal affairs officer, who has had some harsh experiences, is on the track of the dealers.
The film is a strong cast with Jamie Foxx as the policeman, Michelle Monaghan as the internal affairs officer, Scoot Mc Nairy as the son of the drug Lord, Dermot Mulroney as the casino chief. David Harbour is the partner of the internal affairs officer and Gabriel union and Octavius J. Johnson are Foxx’s wife and son.
There are a lot of intricacies as the night goes on, Foxx confronting the casino owner to get his son back, substituting sugar for the drugs, the anger of the dealer, the confrontation with the casino owner, with the two internal affairs officers observing what was going on.
Ultimately, this leads to some shootouts with everybody involved, the death of the casino owner, the revelation that the internal affairs officer is in the pay of the drug dealing family, thinking that his partner has been killed in a car accident – but she emerges to indicate the truth. In the meantime, it is revealed that Foxx has been undercover for the DA.
An action show for those who like police action shows with drug dealers and quite a lot of fights.
1. A Las Vegas story? Drug dealing? The casinos? Police? DEA, undercover work? Internal affairs? The combination?
2. The scenes of Las Vegas, night, overall views, the lights, the casinos, the streets? The interiors of the casino? Drug deals on the streets? Police precincts? The musical score?
3. The title, one night for all the characters?
4. The opening, the drug deal, the robbery, the police car arriving, the shootout? Vincent taking the drugs? Audiences suspicion of him? His partner?
5. Vincent, Jamie Foxx character, under suspicion? The revelation that he was DEA? His relationship with his wife, the tensions? With his son, taking him to the sports? His being abducted? Vincent wounded? His quest to get his son back? The phone calls, his taking the drugs to the casino? In the locker? Confronting Rubino? The issue with Novak? The drugs taken? His dilemmas? The thugs at the casino and the fights? The issues with Bryant? The substitution of sugar for the drugs? The repercussions? Getting his son away, the fights and his son helping? His confrontation with his partner, his partner being killed? And the thug? His wife, her arrival, with the gun? The boy driving the van on killing the thug?
6. Bryant, internal affairs, the interaction and her face, the psychologist, the brief talk? Tough? Her partnership with Denison? Following the leads, wanting to get Rubino and Novak and his family? At the casino, surveillance of Vincent? Taking the drugs and hiding them? Stand over with the receptionist? Waiting, searching the casino, assessing what it happened? Denison and the drugs? In the car park, the final confrontation, in the car with Denison, the truth, her being wounded, Denison killing the car driver? The crash, Denison denouncing Bryant, her coming out of the car, his death?
7. Rubino, drugs, the casino, his thugs, the deal with the Novak’s, taking Vincent’s son, the torture? The deals, substitute? Placating Novak? In the car, Novak shooting him?
8. Novak, with his father, the drug deals, the timeline? Ruthless, sadistic? With Vincent, with the boy, with Rubino? The final confrontation and his death?
9. The fast pace, the many fights, the brutality and violence, top police, internal affairs, undercover work, casinos, drug dealers?
