Light Sleeper (1992)

A drug dealer reconsiders his profession when his boss plans to go straight and an old flame reappears.

Director:

Paul Schrader

Writer:

Paul Schrader

Stars:

Willem Dafoe, Susan Sarandon, Dana Delany

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Willem Dafoe	...	John LeTour
Susan Sarandon	...	Ann
Dana Delany	...	Marianne Jost
David Clennon	...	Robert
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Teresa Aranow
Victor Garber	...	Tis Brüg
Jane Adams	...	Randi Jost
Paul Jabara	...	Eddie
Robert Cicchini	...	Bill Guidone
Sam Rockwell	...	Jealous
Rene Rivera	...	Manuel
David Spade	...	Theological Cokehead
Steven Posen	...	Hasid
Ken Ladd	...	Carlos
Brian Judge	...	Thomas

Storyline

A drug dealer with upscale clientele is having moral problems going about his daily deliveries. A reformed addict, he has never gotten over the wife that left him, and the couple that use him for deliveries worry about his mental well-being and his effectiveness at his job. Meanwhile someone is killing women in apparently drug-related incidents.

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Plot Keywords:

female frontal nudity | male nudity | jail | shootout | hotel | 

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Taglines:

He was a good man in a deadly business. She was his only way out.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and drug content, and for violence and a scene of sensuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Willem Dafoe and Sam Rockwell were both nominated for the 2018 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for their performances as Bobby in The Florida Project (2017) and Dixon in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), respectively. Rockwell won.

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Quotes

Marianne: I envy you. Convenient memory is a gift from God.

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Connections

References The Grifters (1990)

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Soundtracks

To Feel This Way
(Michael Been)
Performed by The Call

User Reviews

Rare work of genius from erratic maverick Schraeder

I've never cared for his work before but Schraeder made an outstanding and penetrating low-budget feature with 'light Sleeper.' It's script is detailed and exceptional in it's depiction of people you can believe are real. It's perhaps too sympathetic towards drug pushers, people I usually have contempt for, but the lead character LeTour finds nothing but grief through his involvement. It dares to depict them not as cold assassins, but people who need each other and fall in love. LeTour's repetitive playing back of his estranged girlfriend's answer machine voice is particularly poignant. Not many film's tackle the issue of encroaching middle age and it's financial uncertainties, although many may find the depiction of drug dealing as 'just another job' offensive. Since being arrested may be a matter of unrelated chance, the characters rely on astral charts, crystal ball gurus and 'aura' specialists. This, being refugees from the mystical sixties counter culture, gives them a spurious sense of security. It's this very superstitious belief that his luck may be running out, that drives LeTour into paranoia and his own eventual downfall.

The weakness of this film is it's familiarity with Schraeder's other films, especially the diary, almost to the point of being a greatest hits tour. The ending is a straight lift from his own 'American Gigolo' and rather lazy redemption. The musical accompaniment to the action throughout is also not to my tastes artistically, but does not damage the picture. Performances, even to the smallest parts, are excellent. Willem DaFoe, an under-used resource in Hollywood, gives an emotional and gifted performance and Sarandon is superlative as ever.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish Hebrew Italian German

Release Date:

13 March 1992 (UK)

Also Known As:

Light Sleeper

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$46,302, 23 August 1992

Gross USA:

$1,050,861

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,055,987

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carolco Pictures, Grain of Sand Productions, Live Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1