Summary

Sleeping Dogs’
story lacks originality, borrowing too heavily from other successful crime thrillers, namely
Memento.

The good actors are given stock characters and are unable to shine due to stilted writing.
The movie fails to deliver a clear message or point, making it difficult for viewers to connect with the story.

The clichés are all too apparent in Sleeping Dogs, Adam Cooper’s directorial debut. Russell Crowe stars as Roy Freeman, an ex-homicide detective who has forgotten most of his life due to Alzheimer’s. While participating in a clinical trial to treat the disease, Roy finds himself pulled back into an old case when non-profit lawyer Emily Dietz (Kelly Graysen) contacts him on behalf of the alleged murderer Isaac Samuel (Pacharo Mzembe), who is set to be executed in a month. While a few of the actors give decent performances, it is not enough to overcome the stilted writing.

Based on the novel by E.O. Chirovici, Sleeping Dogs is a crime thriller that follows a former homicide detective who returns to the field after receiving an experimental Alzheimer’s treatment. With a fresh perspective and a renewed mind, the detective revisits a cold case of the murder of a college professor.ProsThe story asks interesting philosophical questions ConsGood actors are only given stock characters to work withThe various twists and ending are somewhat predictableThe plot is too similar to another, better movie

Sleeping Dogs Borrows Too Much From Memento

We have to first address the Christopher Nolan elephant in the room: Yes, Sleeping Dogs is essentially based on the same premise as Nolan’s Memento, albeit with some key differences. This is hard to forget while watching Sleeping Dogs, which hits several of the same story beats. This is only the prelude to the fact that this movie doesn’t execute the premise nearly as well. The pacing is a bit off, with a detour around the half-hour mark into a flashback that feels like the start of a different movie altogether.

Crowe’s performance is not bad, per se, but it is not particularly memorable.

Some more flashbacks are scattered throughout the rest of the movie, always accompanied by a filter change which doesn’t serve a clear purpose. The pacing is also thrown by exactly how predictable the movie is. You will probably feel like you know exactly where Sleeping Dogs is going, especially by the time Karen Gillan’s character is introduced. As the movie progresses, this turns into having no idea what is going on, before realizing what the ending twist is going to be.

The Actors Don’t Have Enough Good Moments In Sleeping Dogs

Crowe’s performance is not bad, per se, but it is not particularly memorable. Crowe’s best moments of rage and horror are towards the end of the movie. After making a name for himself with Sons of Anarchy, Russell’s Gladiator co-star Tommy Flanagan joins him as Roy’s former partner Jimmy Remis. Flanagan’s performance as a corrupt law enforcer is interesting enough, especially when the final twist makes sense for the character and aligns with how he acts for the rest of the movie.

Gillan does well enough as Laura Baines, the femme fatale murder mystery archetype, although all the male characters repeatedly saying that there is no one else like her cheapens her character. Gillan’s character leads the film towards an interesting story about women’s contributions to scientific research being swept under the rug, but her ultimate role in the central murder is muddled, and the story loses its impact as a result. Overall, most of Sleeping Dogs’ main players are very stock characters who would have been excellent if their stories were further developed.

Sleeping Dogs Director Adam Cooper Release Date April 25, 2024 Cast Karen Gillan , Russell Crowe , Marton Csokas , Tommy Flanagan , Kelly Greyson , Lucy-Rose Leonard , Thomas M. Wright , Elizabeth Blackmore Writers Adam Cooper , Bill Collage , E.O. Chirovici Runtime 110 Minutes Studio(s) Nickel City Pictures , Highland Film Group , Gramercy Park Media , Film Victoria Distributor(s) Highland Film Group , Nickel City Pictures

Sleeping Dogs Doesn’t Make Its Point Well Enough

Whatever point Sleeping Dogs is trying to make doesn’t come through. The one constant is a theme about the memories people would like to forget. Laura and former supervisor, the murdered Dr. Joseph Wieder (Marton Csokas), are researching ways to force the brain to forget painful memories, primarily as a treatment for PTSD. This crosses over with the storyline of Roy’s illness and how, as the experimental treatment takes effect, he begins to remember things he wishes he couldn’t. The movie derives its title from the phrase “let sleeping dogs lie,” which is thrown into the synopsis for good measure.

Some people might think finding out what it is that allegedly should have been left alone drives the discourse. I was left questioning whether viewers are actually supposed to feel bad for the protagonist.

This in and of itself is a decent philosophical question; some people might think finding out what it is that allegedly should have been left alone drives the discourse. I was left questioning whether we’re actually supposed to feel bad for the protagonist. Sleeping Dogs’ message might have felt less on-the-nose if the murder case hadn’t turned out to be directly related to Roy’s life.

In addition to these concerns, some plot holes crop up in the story. Characters turn up in places conveniently, at exactly the right time, without it being clear how they knew to be there. It seems like everyone allows Roy the privileges of a current detective, even though he is undergoing experimental treatment and is forced into retirement due to a DUI accident. Roy also binge-drinks in one scene and carries on normally the next day, instead of needing to be hospitalized. Sleeping Dogs has some character and thematic premises that could be interesting, but its inherent story issues kill them.