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
David Clennon	...	Robert
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Teresa
Victor Garber	...	Tis
Jane Adams	...	Randi
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

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

In one scene, John LeTour (Willem Dafoe) is shown sitting on his bed watching old photographs and listening to some CDs. One of the CDs is the soundtrack from Walter Hill's Streets of Fire (1984), which was Dafoe's first starring role.

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Quotes

[repeated line]
Tis: What a nightmare!

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Connections

References Casablanca (1942)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

This film has to be one of Schrader's best films for sure.

"Light Sleeper" is a great and very effective yarn that follows John LeTour (Willem Dafoe), a drug trafficker/former addict who seems miserable and lonely while bringing drugs to users in the Big Apple. LeTour's life is put to the test when he finds out from Robert (David Clennon), that their boss, Ann (Susan Sarandon), is finally switching to cosmetics instead of drugs and an old flame, Marianne Joseph (Dana Delany), comes to town to visit her ailing mother. The movie moves at a steady pace and doesn't get ugly until the fierce and bloody shootout near the end of the movie. I must note that I'm a big fan of Dafoe and the strong (and moving) performance that he gives here is why I admire him a lot.

The film's photography, shot by Ed Lachman ("The Limey", "The Virgin Suicides"), is nothing short of brilliant and beautiful. In the early moments of the film, there are several small piles of garbages that nearly cover up the sidewalks and the bottom of the street lights. Dafoe, who also narrates the movie, mentions that there's a strike. Also, the musical score that's composed and performed by Michael Been, is good to listen to and it stayed with me during the whole film.

Paul Schrader (who directed the movie and wrote the screenplay) knows very well how to handle the film here with a simple and wise approach. Most of his earlier (and recent) work, dating back (and now) to the screenplay(s) that he wrote for Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" and "Bringing Out The Dead" and one of his own films - "American Giglo" make great examples of anyone who works at night and feels agitated. "Light Sleeper" itself has to be one of Schrader's best films for sure.