The film follows the story of four childhood friends from Hell’s Kitchen, New York City: Lorenzo “Shakes” Carcaterra (played by Jason Patric), Michael Sullivan (played by Brad Pitt), Tommy Marcano (played by Billy Crudup), and John Reilly (played by Ron Eldard). As kids, they commit a prank that goes horribly wrong, resulting in the accidental death of a man.
The four boys are sent to the Wilkinson Home for Boys, a juvenile detention center, where they endure physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the guards, particularly the sadistic Sean Nokes (played by Kevin Bacon). The trauma they experience at Wilkinson scars them for life.
Years later, Shakes (played by Jason Patric) has become a successful journalist, while Michael (played by Brad Pitt) and Tommy (played by Billy Crudup) have become small-time criminals. John (played by Ron Eldard) is a lawyer. When they encounter Nokes by chance at a local bar, they decide to take revenge for the abuse they suffered at Wilkinson.
During the revenge plot, they accidentally kill Nokes, leading to a trial where they are defended by their childhood friend John. However, their trial is sabotaged, and they are all convicted and sentenced to serve time in a maximum-security prison.
In prison, they endure further hardship until they are approached by Father Bobby (played by Robert De Niro), a Catholic priest who was a friend of theirs from childhood. Father Bobby reveals that he has been trying to expose corruption within the prison system and offers them a chance to take justice into their own hands.
The four friends, along with Father Bobby’s help, orchestrate a plan to expose the corruption within the prison system and seek redemption for their past actions. They successfully carry out their plan and gain closure for the trauma they suffered at Wilkinson.
In the end, they reflect on their experiences and find some measure of peace and redemption, knowing that they have finally confronted their past and made a difference.
“Sleepers” is praised for its powerful performances, gripping storytelling, and exploration of themes such as friendship, loyalty, justice, and redemption. However, it also sparked controversy due to its portrayal of vigilante justice and its depiction of abuse in the juvenile justice system.