Silly remake likely to put you to sleep
SLEEPLESS Running time: 1hr 35min Starring: Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, Dermot Mulroney, David Harbour, Tip “TI” Harris, Gabrielle Union, Scoot McNairy Director: Baran Bo Odar THIS remake of the 2011 French thriller Sleepless Night (Nuit blanche) is remarkably faithful to its source material. But despite its attempt at replicating the original’s frenetic action, much has been lost in translation.
Foxx plays corrupt Las Vegas cop Vincent Downs, who gets more trouble than he bargained for when he and his partner (Harris) rob a cocaine shipment. The crooked casino boss (Mulroney) is desperate to get his drugs back, as he’s due to turn them over to the vicious son (McNairy) of the local mob boss. So he has his minions kidnap Vincent’s teenage son Thomas (Octavius J Johnson).
Even while attempting to return the drugs to save his son, Vincent finds himself relentlessly pursued by Internal Affairs investigator Bryant (Monaghan). When she manages to get hold of the drugs, it sets off a violent chain of events over the course of a single night.
Swiss director Baran bo Odar keeps the action moving at a relentless pace. There’s a particular emphasis on fight scenes. But despite moments of violent mayhem, the film never truly proves exciting.
The tight time-frame and compressed plotting only emphasises the story’s contrivances.
Foxx tries very hard to be badass, but his charisma is barely on display in his monotonous turn, and Monaghan overplays her character to the point of nearsilliness. Some of the supporting players fare better by comparison.
Shot in the familiar dark metallic colour palette that has become a visual cliché in thrillers of this type, Sleepless belies its title by having a narcotising effect. – Hollywood Reporter