To Sleep With Anger

PG

Released Oct 12, 1990

1 hr. 42 min.

Drama

List

89%

35 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Vagabond Harry (Danny Glover) pays an unexpected visit to his old chum Gideon (Paul Butler), who accepts the aimless man into his home, despite the fact that the household is already overcrowded. Hard-drinking yet charismatic, Harry both entertains and enrages Gideon and his wife, Suzie (Mary Alice). However, after Gideon falls gravely ill, Harry decides to step in and take his friend's place in the household. Unfortunately, his intentions are far from pure, and the consequences are tragic.

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Critics Consensus

To Sleep with Anger examines cultural tensions with a deft hand and a potent blend of comedy and drama, stirred skillfully to life by a strong cast led by Danny Glover.

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Alec B

What's ingenious here is how Glover is both a demonic and messianic figure, bringing long simmering family tensions to a boil . . . not to destroy the family but to save them.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Audience Member

What's ingenious here is how Glover is both a demonic and messianic figure, bringing long simmering family tensions to a boil. This doesn't destroy the family, it saves them.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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Audience Member

Danny Glover is Harry. He pays an unexpected visit to his old chum Gideon (Paul Butler), who accepts the aimless man into his home, despite the fact that the household is already overcrowded. Hard-drinking yet charismatic, Harry both entertains and enrages Gideon and his wife, Suzie. Gideon then falls gravely ill, Harry decides to step in and take his friend's place in the household. Unfortunately, his intentions are far from pure, and the consequences are tragic. There's a lot of talk in here and I was quite bored. But I admire the movie having many relatable elements when it comes to this kind of family drama.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I first watched the movie when released in 1990, and watched again. This movie is very layered and many references for African Americans - especially those of us that grew up in the south. See it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

scott s

One of Danny Glover's best films as a drifter whose presence seems to expose the hearts of the people in the household as tensions arise between brothers, siblings, and parents, and culture change.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

john m

Burnett provides an oddly calm tone to the whole thing, making the darker parts more ambiguous which works but there's also somewhat of a filter around the characters as if it needed to be more accessible for audiences, leaving a lot more to be explored by its conclusion. Still, seeing the chemistry of some of the performances in here really makes it stand out, especially for the cultural implications throughout.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Charles Burnett

Director

Danny Glover

Harry

Paul Butler

Gideon

Mary Alice

Suzie

Richard Brooks

Babe Brother

Carl Lumbly

Junior

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Richard Brody

New Yorker

Danny Glover stars in Charles Burnett's mood-rich blend of family discord and resurgent mythology.

Apr 14, 2020

Full Review

Melissa Anderson

Village Voice

One of the finest films to explore city versus country, old ways versus new, kin versus kin.

Sep 7, 2016

Full Review

Chuck Bowen

Slant Magazine

Charles Burnett bridges theatrical dialogue, portentous omens, and presentational acting with masterful grace.

Rated: 4/4

Sep 6, 2016

Full Review

Molly Haskell

Video Review

An unusual and richly rewarding viewing experience.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 29, 2023

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... explores the collision of rural Southern Black culture with middle class African-American urban life, folk superstitions and remedies versus religion and modern medicine, and complicated family relationships in the modern world.

Apr 8, 2023

Full Review

Joe Leydon

The Moving Picture Show

A quietly unsettling film that finds dark portents and hints of the supernatural in the seemingly commonplace

Jun 16, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Vagabond Harry (Danny Glover) pays an unexpected visit to his old chum Gideon (Paul Butler), who accepts the aimless man into his home, despite the fact that the household is already overcrowded. Hard-drinking yet charismatic, Harry both entertains and enrages Gideon and his wife, Suzie (Mary Alice). However, after Gideon falls gravely ill, Harry decides to step in and take his friend's place in the household. Unfortunately, his intentions are far from pure, and the consequences are tragic.

Director: Charles Burnett
Executive Producer: Edward R. Pressman, Harris Tulchin
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Company
Production Co: SVS Films
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 12, 1990, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.2M
Sound Mix: Surround

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