“In film after film, for year after year, Paul Schrader has been telling this story in one way or another, but never with more humanity than this time.” - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
“For me, LIGHT SLEEPER comes the closest to capturing on film the ethos of Lou Reed's musical opus "Street Hassle," one of the most eloquent urban visions of our time.” - Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
John LeTour (Willem Dafoe in a tender, melancholic performance) is an emotionally distant, high-class drug dealer backed by his supplier, Ann (Susan Sarandon). Already questioning his profession, when he runs into his former lover Marianne (Dana Delany), he sees their reunion as a way to break free from the cycle of addiction and crime that has defined his life. Without an ounce of cynicism, Schrader—who, after TAXI DRIVER and AMERICAN GIGOLO, says LIGHT SLEEPER is the final film in his trilogy of loners who hate their jobs—delivers a gritty neo noir, and a portrait of a man who must unravel and lose nearly everything in order to find the freedom and forgiveness he seeks.
Awards & Nominations
Nominee - Golden Bear, Berlin Film Festival
Nominee - Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Film Independent Spirit Awards
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu