Sleepers (1996)
Four friends have made a mistake that will change their lives forever.
Two gangsters seek revenge on the state jail worker who during their stay at a youth prison sexually abused them. A sensational court hearing takes place to charge him for the crimes.
Rent on Prime Video $4.99 (opens in a new tab) Buy on Prime Video $7.99 (opens in a new tab)
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 18 October 1996 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Thriller |
| Director | Barry Levinson |
| Starring | Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman |
| Runtime | 147 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.6/10 · Metacritic 49/100 · Rotten Tomatoes 73% · TMDB users 7.6/10 |
Where to watch Sleepers
We could not find Sleepers on any of the subscription services we track in the US right now. That changes often; open it in Binge Boss and we will show you where it lands.
Rent or buy
You can rent Sleepers on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Spectrum On Demand. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Sleepers in 129 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Albania | Netflix about |
| Algeria | Netflix about |
| Andorra | Netflix |
| Angola | Netflix about |
| Antigua & Barbuda | Netflix about |
| Argentina | Netflix $8999 ARS |
| Australia | Netflix $20.99 AUD |
| Austria | Netflix €10.99, Prime Video €8.99 |
| Azerbaijan | Netflix about |
| Bahamas | Netflix about |
| Bahrain | Netflix about |
| Barbados | Netflix about |
| Belarus | Netflix about |
| Belgium | Netflix €10.99 |
| Belize | Netflix about |
| Bermuda | Netflix about |
| Bolivia | Netflix about |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | Netflix about |
| Brazil | Netflix R$51.90 |
| Bulgaria | Netflix €5.99 |
| Cameroon | Netflix about |
| Cape Verde | Netflix about |
| Chad | Netflix about |
| Chile | Netflix $7190 CLP |
| Colombia | Netflix $18900 COP |
| Costa Rica | Netflix about |
| Croatia | Netflix €5.99 |
| Cuba | Netflix about |
| Cyprus | Netflix €8.99 |
| Czechia | Netflix 259 Kč |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Netflix about |
| Denmark | Netflix 109 kr DKK |
| Dominican Republic | Netflix about |
| Ecuador | Netflix $5.99 |
| Egypt | Netflix E£110 |
| El Salvador | Netflix |
| Equatorial Guinea | Netflix about |
| Estonia | Netflix €7.99 |
| Fiji | Netflix about |
| Finland | Netflix €10.99 |
| France | Netflix €14.99 |
| French Guiana | Netflix |
| French Polynesia | Netflix about |
| Germany | Netflix €15.99, Prime Video €8.99 |
| Ghana | Netflix about |
| Gibraltar | Netflix about |
| Greece | Netflix €8.99 |
| Guatemala | Netflix about |
| Guernsey | Netflix |
| Honduras | Netflix about |
| Hong Kong | Netflix HK$78 |
| Hungary | Netflix 3190 Ft |
| Iceland | Netflix about 1636 kr ISK |
| India | Netflix ₹199 |
| Indonesia | Netflix Rp65000 |
| Iraq | Netflix about |
| Ireland | Netflix €11.99 |
| Israel | Netflix ₪32.90 |
| Italy | Netflix €13.99 |
| Jamaica | Netflix about |
| Japan | Netflix ¥1590 JPY, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Jordan | Netflix about |
| Kenya | Netflix KSh300 |
| Kuwait | Netflix about |
| Latvia | Netflix €7.99 |
| Lebanon | Netflix about |
| Libya | Netflix about |
| Liechtenstein | Netflix |
| Lithuania | Netflix €8.99 |
| Luxembourg | Netflix €10.99 |
| Madagascar | Netflix about |
| Malaysia | Netflix RM33.90 |
| Mali | Netflix about |
| Malta | Netflix €8.99 |
| Mauritius | Netflix about |
| Mexico | Netflix $269 MXN |
| Moldova | Netflix about |
| Monaco | Netflix |
| Montenegro | Netflix |
| Morocco | Netflix |
| Mozambique | Netflix about |
| Netherlands | Netflix €9.99 |
| New Zealand | Netflix $17.99 NZD |
| Nicaragua | Netflix about |
| Niger | Netflix about |
| Nigeria | Netflix ₦4000 |
| North Macedonia | Netflix about |
| Norway | Netflix 119 kr NOK |
| Oman | Netflix about |
| Pakistan | Netflix Rs450 |
| Palestinian Territories | Netflix about |
| Panama | Netflix $5.99 |
| Paraguay | Netflix about |
| Peru | Netflix S/28.90 |
| Philippines | Netflix ₱279 |
| Poland | Netflix 37.00 zł |
| Portugal | Netflix €8.99 |
| Qatar | Netflix about QR32.72 |
| Romania | Netflix about 32.08 lei |
| San Marino | Netflix |
| Saudi Arabia | Netflix ﷼35.00 |
| Senegal | Netflix about |
| Serbia | Netflix about 705 din |
| Seychelles | Netflix about |
| Singapore | Netflix $15.98 SGD |
| Slovakia | Netflix €9.49 |
| Slovenia | Netflix €5.99 |
| South Africa | Netflix R99 ZAR |
| South Korea | Netflix ₩13500 |
| Spain | Netflix €14.99 |
| St. Lucia | Netflix about |
| Sweden | Netflix 129 kr SEK |
| Switzerland | Netflix CHF14.90 |
| Taiwan | Netflix NT$290 |
| Tanzania | Netflix about |
| Thailand | Netflix ฿169 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Netflix about |
| Tunisia | Netflix about |
| Turks & Caicos Islands | Netflix |
| Türkiye | Netflix ₺259.99 |
| Uganda | Netflix about |
| Ukraine | Netflix about ₴253 |
| United Arab Emirates | Netflix AED35.00 |
| United Kingdom | Netflix £13.99 GBP |
| Uruguay | Netflix about $U481 |
| Venezuela | Netflix about |
| Yemen | Netflix about |
| Zambia | Netflix about |
| Zimbabwe | Netflix |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Sleepers runs 147 minutes. Barry Levinson directs a trio of friends whose childhood trauma curdles into a cold, methodical campaign against the state. The film is less about the crime and more about the machinery of justice grinding down the individuals who feed it. Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, and Dustin Hoffman anchor the weight of that machinery. It is a heavy watch, demanding patience for a payoff that feels more like a verdict than a resolution.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes lists a 73% approval rating as of January 2026. Metacritic sits at 49 out of 100, a number that translates to mixed or average reviews. The consensus highlights Barry Levinson’s direction, noting the film is terrifically captured despite a heavy reliance on voiceover. Not everyone warmed to the structure. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly argued the movie tries to merge child abuse trauma with The Sting’s gamesmanship. That is a tall order. The adult cast remains underdeveloped, according to David Ansen of Newsweek, who found the script lacking in depth.
What came next for the cast
Kevin Bacon moved from Apollo 13 to X-Men: First Class, Crazy, Stupid, Love., and Mystic River. Robert De Niro followed GoodFellas with Joker, Silver Linings Playbook, and Limitless. Dustin Hoffman swapped Rain Man and Hook for Meet the Fockers, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, and Finding Neverland. Bruno Kirby’s post-The Godfather Part II and When Harry Met Sally... list is short, ending with Donnie Brasco. The credits track what followed, not what caused it.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Sleepers.
Read more: Primal Fear · Cape Fear
Sources
- Sleepers on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q1145732 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Sleepers (film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
Watch it without paying for the whole year
Binge Boss tracks the movie you are on and tells you which services you need this month, and which you can cancel.
Add Sleepers to your list