Relentless Pace of French Action Hit ‘Sleepless Night’

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Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – “Sleepless Night” is a relentless thriller about corrupt cops, a kidnapping, a very bad drug deal, and a French nightclub filled with innocent bystanders. The majority of this accomplished action flick takes place in one location on one crazy night and the result is a more intense, visceral experience than a vast majority of the Hollywood blockbusters you could see this Summer movie season.

A corrupt cop named Vincent steals a bag filled with cocaine from a dangerous crime lord in the opening scene of “Sleepless Night” and not only does our protagonist get stabbed but someone gets shot. Before he can even really patch the wound in his gut, his son Thomas is kidnapped and held by the man whose drugs he lifted. There’s a deal that needs to go down. Bring the drugs to the club, trade them for his loved one, and walk away. It should be easy, right? Of course, it’s not.

Sleepless Night
Photo credit: Tribeca Film

In a move to get leverage and make sure that his son is safe, Vincent (Tomer Sisley) stashes the bag of product in the ceiling above the men’s room in the club. The problems start when the gorgeous cop who happens to be following him traces his steps and moves the bag. After the meeting in which Vincent sees that his boy is unharmed, he returns to get the drugs to close the deal and they’re not there. Chaos essentially ensues in a film that is almost entirely third act. Traversing a massive nightclub that includes a restaurant, karaoke bar, dance floor, and much more, Vincent has to constantly think on his feet to avoid the cops behind him and save his son.

Director Frederic Jardin knows that a film like “Sleepless Night” lives and dies on its pacing and, consequently, rarely takes a break in the action for the film’s 102-minute running time. The movie opens with the screech of car tires and ends with a similar bookend. Everything in between is non-stop action as Vincent has to constantly think on his feet. He has no cocaine, dealers and cops are outside the door, his son is in danger – what does he do next? At one point, I thought to myself that he wasn’t thinking very long term and then I realized that he didn’t have that luxury. The greatest strength of “Sleepless Night” is how deftly the filmmakers put you right in that moment where planning isn’t an option – immediate action is all that matters.

Sleepless Night
Photo credit: Tribeca Film

There are a few elements of “Sleepless Night” that don’t feel quite genuine. When Thomas was being dragged across a crowded room of people playing pool, it didn’t feel right that no one would question what the heck was going on. The patrons of Jardin’s nightclub often feel like window dressing more than an actual setting. Sure, when gunfire eventually erupts, they pay attention, and perhaps it’s a cynical commentary on how little people notice about what’s going on around them but it somewhat deflated the realism of the piece for me. The film also sags a bit in the middle as the second act is the weakest of the three. The pacing is just a bit off here as Jardin gets his pieces into place for the climactic final reel.

A few minor missteps do not diminish the remarkable level of thrills provided by “Sleepless Night.” We’ve seen so many bloated, overdone action movies lately that it’s refreshing to see something this fine-tuned and precise. Forget the multiplex this weekend. Head to the arthouse for one of the best action movies of the year.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com