Light Sleeper

R

Released Aug 21, 1992

1 hr. 48 min.

Mystery & Thriller

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List

87%

45 Reviews

Tomatometer

65%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A Manhattan drug dealer with a wealthy clientele, John LeTour (Willem Dafoe) reevaluates both his trade and his life after discovering that his supplier, Ann (Susan Sarandon), is planning on quitting the business. When John runs into his old flame Marianne (Dana Delany), he sees reconnecting with her as a way to change for the better, but she is reluctant to rekindle the romance. Complicating John's life further is a series of drug-related murders that has the police pegging him as a suspect.

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Critics Consensus

Light Sleeper requires patience, but delivers commensurate rewards -- and boasts an absorbing performance from Willem Dafoe.

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Adam H

Came to Light Sleeper from both First Reformed and Taxi Driver, as I've been meaning to for some time. The mood and characterization is great, but the meandering nature of the plot felt unsatisfying at the end. Edit: also came to this movie, now, via jetlag. I wanted more sleep problems! All he needed for a good night's sleep was to get together with his ex.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

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Audience Member

One of the more interesting character studies about a drug affiliate struggling in multiple aspects of life. Paul Schrader and his very game cast make this small budget exercise absorbing

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

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delysid d

so much to hate about this movie!

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/29/21

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James B

Another good film that is let down by it's ending. No explanation given at all for why what happened, happened m Other than the ending was a great moody dark film. It seemed to have a Lynchian style to it; the soundtrack reminded me of twin peaks with it's dreamy synth sound. To reiterate, a great film only let down by it's ending.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/23/21

Full Review

adam b

An amazingly subtle and slow-moving film that is handled with the upmost care. Dark and bleak, it's a perfect snapshot of drug dealers and users. A must see for thought-provoking cinema

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

All of Schrader's hallmarks are here, but until he made "First Reformed" this was perhaps the most moving of his "male loner" films. If not for the ill advised song score, this could have been a masterpiece.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

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Paul Schrader

Director

Willem Dafoe

John LeTour

Susan Sarandon

Ann

Dana Delany

Marianne Joseph

David Clennon

Robert

Mary Beth Hurt

Teresa Aranow

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56%

44%

Final Analysis

29%

31%

Consenting Adults

56%

64%

Basic Instinct

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53%

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Single White Female

33%

72%

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Light Sleeper: Trailer 1

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Hugo Davenport

Daily Telegraph (UK)

American filmmakers have a weakness for presenting a shoot-out as either the precursor of redemption or redemptive in itself; this film falls into the latter group.

May 20, 2022

Full Review

Derek Malcolm

Guardian

The cast is skilfully alert... and Schrader's vision is unencumbered either by sentiment or cynicism.

Feb 28, 2021

Full Review

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

Light Sleeper is emblematic of an era, and is recommended on that basis and on the excellent quality of it acting.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 9, 2014

Full Review

Steve Warren

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

Though well acted and never uninteresting, Light Sleeper is far less intense than most of Schrader's work and further diluted by an unrealistic ending.

May 9, 2023

Full Review

Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

From that opening use of “World on Fire”, Been’s vocals and melancholic, somber tones feel as rooted in the essence of Light Sleeper as Dafoe’s razor-sharp bone structure, or those heaps of trash bags lining the sidewalks.

Rated: 10/10

Sep 23, 2022

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...an erratic yet predominantly satisfying effort from Schrader.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jun 30, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

A Manhattan drug dealer with a wealthy clientele, John LeTour (Willem Dafoe) reevaluates both his trade and his life after discovering that his supplier, Ann (Susan Sarandon), is planning on quitting the business. When John runs into his old flame Marianne (Dana Delany), he sees reconnecting with her as a way to change for the better, but she is reluctant to rekindle the romance. Complicating John's life further is a series of drug-related murders that has the police pegging him as a suspect.

Director: Paul Schrader
Executive Producer: Mario Kassar
Screenwriter: Paul Schrader
Distributor: Fine Line Features
Production Co: Grain of Sand Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 21, 1992, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2007
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.0M
Sound Mix: Mono

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