Sleepers is a 1996 American legal crime drama film written, produced and directed by Barry Levinson, and based on Lorenzo Carcaterra's 1995 book of the same name.

Lorenzo "Shakes" Carcaterra, Tommy Marcano, Michael Sullivan, and John Reilly are childhood friends living in Hell's Kitchen in the 1960s.

During their stay, they are repeatedly subjected to sexual abuse and torture by head guards Sean Nokes, Henry Addison, Ralph Ferguson and Adam Styler.

In 1981, John and Tommy, now career criminals working with the Irish Mob, unexpectedly encounter Sean Nokes in a Hell's Kitchen pub.

Michael, now an assistant district attorney, gets himself assigned to the case; he secretly intends to botch the prosecution to expose the abuse committed by the guards at Wilkinson's.

With the help of King Benny and Carol, the boys' childhood friend, they carry out their plan using information compiled by Michael on the backgrounds of the guards.

For his plan to fully succeed, however, Michael decides that he must damage Nokes's reputation and convincingly place John and Tommy at another location at the time of the shooting.

Father Bobby testifies at trial that John and Tommy were with him at a New York Knicks game at the time of the shooting, producing three ticket stubs to prove it.

In response to the fast pace of the production process, Ballantine scheduled the book to be released around the same time that De Niro and Pitt were cast.

The site's critics consensus reads: "Old friendships are awakened by the need for revenge, making Sleepers a haunting nightmare burdened by voiceover yet terrifically captured by Barry Levinson.

[12] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on a scale of A+ to F.[13] Critics praised the performances of De Niro, Hoffman, Bacon and the young cast,[14] as well as the cinematography and production design.

[15][16][17] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Sleepers wants to do something impossible — merge the mournful, drenched-in-shame emotions of child abuse with the huckster gamesmanship of a contraption like The Sting.

"[18] David Ansen of Newsweek criticized Levinson's script, and reasoned the adult characters of Shakes, Michael, John and Tommy were not fully fleshed out.