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Light Sleeper
UNITED STATES · 1992

Light Sleeper

Paul Schrader
drug addiction and recovery urban crime and murder romantic obsession moral redemption insomnia and psychological torment
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Synopsis

John LeTour is a recovering drug user who suffers insomnia and still deals to a high-end New York clientele, even though he’s trying to move on from the business. John’s professional midlife crisis becomes something more acute — and dangerous — when he re-encounters an old flame while a string of seemingly drug-related murders rocks the city.

Cinema Atlas Connection
Even though it's much more of a spiritual journey, I'm just much more comfortable with the style of Bresson, the 'man in a room' narrative, the spiritual diary narrative. I've always been influenced by Pickpocket, which is a kind of holy poker movie, where a guy is basically trying to find God through picking pockets. And I've always thought, 'What if you replace picking pockets with drug dealing?' So in a sense, Light Sleeper is my Pickpocket.
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