Review of Light Sleeper (1992) by Rodney S — 17 Oct 2009

Strong performances by Willem Dafoe and Susan Sarandon barely save this Paul Schrader film.

Light Sleeper (1992) - 6.1/10.

Director - Paul Schrader.

Starring - Willem Dafoe, Susan Sarandon, Dana Delany, Mary Beth Hurt, David Clennon, Victor Garber, Jane Adams, Paul Jabara, David Spade, Sam Rockwell.

Willem Dafoe stars as John Le Tour, an upscale drug dealer who delivers "white drugs for white people". His boss Ann (Susan Sarandon) plans to go legit soon by starting her own cosmetics company. The contemplative Le Tour debates his future as ex-girlfriend and recovering addict Marianne (Dana Delany) reenters his life.

"Light Sleeper" is a moody, highly atmospheric slowburn of a movie. Set in New York during the garbage strike, Schrader juxtaposes piles of garbage as the well-dressed Le Tour makes his deliveries to Manhattan's elite. Irony? I think so. Willem Dafoe and Susan Sarandon give typical strong performances and we also get a surprisingly good cameo from David Spade of all people. When you factor in that the reliable Paul Schrader wrote and directed this film one could hope this might have been a forgotten classic. Unfortunately adequate would be a better description. Considering the subject matter and Schrader's reputation as a writer, I actually felt the film could have been edgier. Maybe not in a "Taxi Driver" way, but considering La Tour's line of work an earlier element of danger would have helped. And at times (especially with most of the clients) Schrader seemed to mail it in. Oh and the soundtrack was intrusive as well. Overall a nice atmosphere and good work from Dafoe and Sarandon can't quite elevate "Light Sleeper" to the level it should have achieved.