Sleeping Dogs (2024 Film)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Sleeping Dogs'' is an American
crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...
thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...
directed by Adam Cooper in his feature-length directorial debut from a screenplay adapted by Cooper and Bill Collage from the 2017 novel '' The Book of Mirrors'' by E.O. Chirovici, and starring
Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor and film director. Russell Crowe filmography, His work on screen has earned him List of awards and nominations received by Russell Crowe, various accolades, including an Academy Award, two Gold ...
and Karen Gillan. The film was released in the United States on March 22, 2024.


Plot

Roy Freeman is a retired homicide detective with Alzheimer's who is undergoing experimental treatment to help him regain some memories. One day, he receives a call from Emily Dietz, an advocate for prison inmates, who asks him to meet with Isaac Samuel, an inmate soon to be executed for the murder of Dr. Joseph Wieder. Isaac tells Roy he was pressured to confess by Roy's partner, Detective Jimmy Remis. Roy reviews his old files then meets with Jimmy and asks him why they didn't check into the records of their other suspect, Richard Finn, whose fingerprints were all over Dr. Wieder's house. Jimmy says he will look into the matter. After he meets with Jimmy, Roy learns of Finn's sudden death. Roy has a fleeting memory of Finn being outside Dr. Wieder's house the day after the murder. Roy meets some of Finn's family members at the funeral and receives a manuscript that Finn had been writing that details Finn's time with Dr. Wieder and with a woman Finn loved, Laura Baines, who was collaborating with Dr. Wieder on her thesis. Shortly after Dr. Wieder's murder, Laura Baines learns she won't get any credit for her research with Dr. Wieder, after which Laura Baines disappears. Roy goes to meet Finn's widow, who recalls a heated conversation Finn had with Dr. Elizabeth Westlake. Roy goes to meet Dr. Westlake. To his surprise, she instantly recognizes him. He learns that Finn had stalked Dr. Westlake and made her feel unsafe. Roy realizes Laura Baines and Dr. Westlake are the same person. He gives Dr. Westlake a copy of Finn's manuscript and leaves. Roy then meets with Wayne Devereaux, one of Dr. Wieder's former patients. Devereaux mentions that Dr. Wieder, Finn, and Dr. Westlake had gotten into a heated argument. After Roy returns from meeting with Devereaux, Dr. Westlake arrives at Roy's house to return the manuscript. She refutes the notion that she and Finn were in love. After Dr. Westlake leaves, Devereaux attempts to run over Roy with a pick-up truck but is shot dead in self-defense. Based on his fractured, but returning memories, Roy goes to a bar that he used to frequent. From the current bartender, he receives some cursory details about a former bartender, Diane. Roy then goes to Dr. Wieder's house. He finds a baseball bat buried in the garden. Dr. Westlake/Laura Baines shows up, followed by Jimmy. They start explaining their connection to Dr. Wieder's murder. After Laura had read Finn's manuscript, she realized that Devereaux would be implicated. Based on that revelation, Jimmy now understands her connection to the deaths of Finn and Devereaux. Jimmy begins to explain it to Roy, but before he can finish, Laura shoots Jimmy and he falls to the ground. She then takes aim at Roy, but is shot in the back by Jimmy. Before taking his last breath, Jimmy says he did everything for Roy. Roy's memories continue to return. He recalls Devereaux mentioning bartender Diane as one of Dr. Wieder's sexual exploits. Roy now realizes that Diane is his ex-wife. Diane had been treated by Dr. Wieder to get rid of painful memories of her alcoholic father. Dr. Wieder took advantage of Diane and got her on tape. Roy had seen that recording provided by Baines, became furious, and decided to kill Dr. Wieder. After the murder, Jimmy helped Roy avoid repercussions. Yet, because of Roy's actions, Isaac Samuel, an innocent man, had spent ten years of his life in prison.


Cast

*
Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor and film director. Russell Crowe filmography, His work on screen has earned him List of awards and nominations received by Russell Crowe, various accolades, including an Academy Award, two Gold ...
as Roy Freeman * Karen Gillan as Laura Baines * Marton Csokas as Dr. Joseph Wieder *
Tommy Flanagan Thomas or Tom Flanagan may refer to: * Thomas Flanagan (bishop) (1930–2019), American Roman Catholic bishop * Thomas Flanagan (Irish politician) (died 1980), Irish civil engineer and politician * Thomas Flanagan (priest) (1814–1865), English Ro ...
as Jimmy Remis * Harry Greenwood as Richard Finn * Thomas M. Wright as Wayne Devereaux *
Elizabeth Blackmore Elizabeth Blackmore (born ) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her roles as Natalie in the supernatural horror film ''Evil Dead (2013 film), Evil Dead'', Valerie Tulle in The CW's supernatural drama series ''The Vampire Diaries'', a ...
as Dana Finn * Lynn Gilmartin as Diane Lynch *
Pacharo Mzembe Pacharo Mzembe is an Australian actor. He has performed on stage, in several television series and in feature films. Early life Mzembe's parents originate from Malawi, but he was born in Zimbabwe. He migrated to Australia at the age of six to ...
as Isaac Samuel *
Paula Arundell Paula Arundell is an Australian actress and singer. Early life Arundell studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), in Sydney. She graduated in 1995, with a degree in Performing Arts (Acting). Career Arundell has appeared in tel ...
as Susan Avery *
Jane Harber Jane Harber is an Australian actress who is known from her role as Zara Perkich in the television series ''Offspring''. Career Television Harber's television roles have included Susie Money in the series '' Underbelly'', Zdenka Milanovic in ''T ...
as Catherine Finn


Production

The film is an adaptation by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage of E.O. Chirovici's novel '' The Book of Mirrors'', with Cooper also on-board as director. Mark Fasano of Nickel City Pictures produced, alongside Cooper, Collage and Pouya Shabazian. Matthew Goldberg, Cliff Roberts and Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser served as executive producers. In August 2022, Crowe was announced in the lead role. In February 2023, Karen Gillan, Marton Csokas, Harry Greenwood and Thomas M Wright were added to the cast.
Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
commenced in
Victoria, Australia Victoria, commonly abbreviated as Vic, is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state (after Tasmania), with a land area of ; the second-most-populated state (after New South Wales), with a population of over 7 million; ...
in February 2023, with Crowe making himself at home in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
. Production wrapped in May.


Release

In November 2022, it was announced that Highland Film Group had agreed to distribution deals with
Signature Entertainment Signature Entertainment is a British film distribution and film production company founded in 2011 in the UK. Overview Signature Entertainment was founded in 2011 by Marc Goldberg. The company released over 1,000 films since its inception and ...
in the United Kingdom. The film was released in Australia by Galaxy Pictures. ''Sleeping Dogs'' was released by The Avenue in the United States on March 22, 2024.


Reception


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sleeping Dogs 2020s American films Australian films about Alzheimer's disease Films shot in Melbourne Films set in Victoria (state) American crime thriller films Films based on British novels 2024 directorial debut films