Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.5

Sleep Dealer Blu-ray Movie Review

The interesting premise for the film would have been more effective ten years ago.

Reviewed by Dustin Somner November 22, 2009

Given the ever-changing face of our society, politically poignant films often have a short window of opportunity. For that reason, it’s imperative that a film obtain financing and get the ball rolling at the outset of a shifting change in policy. One of the greatest examples of a film hitting at exactly the right time was Robert Redford’s Lions for Lambs, which touched on failed policy in the middle east, and the media’s responsibility to depict the truth. While still an effective film given our current political climate, the true recipient of the film’s critical analysis was the Bush Administration. I’m clearly not here to discuss politics or Robert Redford, but I wanted to provide an example of how critical the passage of time can be in the creation of a film driven by social commentary.

Sleep Dealers is a 2008 Spanish language production that premiered at Sundance, and eventually earned a limited release in the United States. The film offers a blend of science fiction sensibility with a futuristic political climate, to tell the tale of one man’s struggle for redemption in a world that cares little for his well-being.

The future of outsourcing.

In order to prevent the flow of Mexican immigrants into the United States, an immense wall was constructed along the U.S.-Mexico border. The wall is guarded by U.S. military personnel who patrol the border using unmanned aircraft called Drones. To make matters worse, recently enacted laws award private corporations the right to dam rivers or lakes, and expand their ever-increasing control over the natural resources throughout Mexico. In the town of Santa Ana, a poverty-stricken farming family becomes the latest victim of corporate controlled water, leading to the drying of fields and the erosion of crops. The patriarch of the clan defiantly continues the family trade, but his son Memo (Luis Fernando Pena) longs for a better life in the big city. Following a tragic course of events, Memo’s wish comes true, and he arrives in Tijuana in search of someone capable of implanting Nodes throughout his body(small electronic receivers that allow an individual to take control of various machinery). Immigration to the United States might be a long forgotten memory to American citizens, but corporations have found a new means to obtain cheap labor, through the use of a robotic workforce operated by cheap laborers in other countries. Plugging into a vast network of experiences and possibilities not found in Mexico, Memo discovers the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Sleep Dealer would have been a visionary tale ten years ago, but the themes of the film lack impact in the context of our present-day society. The idea of a wall between Mexico and the U.S. has been a hot topic since the tragedy of 9/11, and our military currently uses drones in peacekeeping engagements all over the world. Likewise, corporations in multiple countries continue to develop expanding monopolies on natural resources, allowing them to flex their power among those that depend on those resources. But despite all of the elements on display in this “futuristic” world, the one that seemed the most outdated is the idea of job outsourcing to foreign countries. If I’m not mistaken, that’s become a common practice that’s widely accepted in the corporate world. Granted we don’t currently have robots that perform construction work on beams of skyscrapers (offering the one unique element in the film), but the rest of the construct devised in Alex Rivera’s plot feels far too realistic to generate moments of awe. I’m a science fiction fan to the core, but Sleep Dealer rarely sucked me in with its portrayal of a futuristic society (which looks strangely familiar).

Aside from the lack of ingenuity in the futuristic construct, Sleep Dealer still manages to be a worthwhile film. Beginning with the typical Stars Wars set-up about a farm boy discontent with his life, the film gradually builds into a character study of Memo’s transition from chasing a dream to living a nightmare. Along the way, he strikes up a relationship with a young woman who makes her living selling the tragic stories of individuals who’ve crossed her path. The couple eventually discovers their lives are intersected with the life of an American man, who’s struggling with the guilt associated with his service in the military. Not a whole lot happens in the film, but the interactions of these three characters effectively elevate the plot beyond its simple roots.

The production values are difficult to assess, because some moments are handled with care, while others look downright shoddy. If you glance through the screenshots, you’ll notice the depictions of the node workers plugged in throughout the sleep dealer factories look absolutely eerie. With the glazed eye-contacts, large breathing apparatus, and glowing tubes connecting various appendages, the long corridor of “hooked-in” employees truly delivers a sci-fi atmosphere fans will adore. However, the incorporation of weak CGI throughout the picture creates a distinct made-for-TV feel that becomes increasingly off-putting. If there’s one thing you have to get right in a sci-fi production, it should be the special effects.

Sleep Dealer Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 32Mbps), Sleep Dealer looks a bit rough on Blu-ray. Fine object detail rarely approaches ideal levels, but I'm confident the lack of clarity is a byproduct of the intentionally gritty look of the film. There's a heavy layer of grain that dominates most scenes (giving the picture a noisy quality that might aggravate some viewers in search of a more polished presentation), which cinematographer Lisa Rinzler used to give the film a more surreal feel (based on her statements in the audio commentary on the disc). Adding to the unnatural feel of the cinematography, the color palette ranges from bright and blown-out in the sun-drenched Mexican landscape, to cool and metallic in the tech-heavy sleep dealer factories. I certainly wouldn't define the color scheme as off-putting, but given the amazing color depth possible on Blu-ray, this isn't demo-worthy presentation. Lastly, I was a bit disappointed in contrast during low-light scenes. During the audio commentary we learn the production team had to utilize some creative methods of lighting during some of the nighttime shots, but whether the weakness in contrast is a result of the source material or the replication of the transfer, the problem still persists. If you happen to pick up the film and want an example of what I'm talking about, watch the nighttime scene around the 1:10 mark, where Memo and Rudy meet for the first time. Throughout the lengthy sequence (which turns into a chase), shadow detail is completely absent, and some features in the foreground are even lost to the excessive darkness.

Although I can't say I was overly impressed with the visual quality of Sleep Dealer, this is likely the best the film will ever look, and seems to offer an accurate representation of the source material.

Sleep Dealer Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sleep Dealer is one of the first films in the initial wave of releases from Maya Home Entertainment. In the future, I'd like to see the studio give us a worthwhile technical package by stepping up to lossless audio, but we have to accept what we've been given on this release. Although the surround track isn't a disappointment, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the lack of spatial separation across the rear surround field and an overabundance of front-heavy elements. As with most low-budget films, the dialogue remains firmly planted in the center channel of the mix, with the musical score and effects given a bit more room to breathe in the side channels. This creates an unfortunate effect where the music and environmental sounds occasionally drown out the dialogue, throwing the balance of the mix into disarray. Aside from several volume related deficiencies, the most profound problem is a lack of richness in the elements that comprise the mix, which ultimately fails to generate an immersive experience. I'm fairly certain this could have been solved with the inclusion of a lower-compression audio track, but given this is a low-budget release, it's possible a degree of weakness was present in the original sound design as well.

Sleep Dealer Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Before the Making of Sleep Dealer (1080i, Dolby Digital 2.0, 12:23 min): Director Alex Rivera goes back as far as 1997, to explain the origins of the story, and his lengthy battle to acquire the financing needed to finally make the film (which he attempted on at least one prior occasion). One of the more interesting sequences in the featurette, shows Rivera using a computer program that allowed him to animate storyboard sketches.

The only other supplement included on the disc is an audio commentary with Alex Rivera (director), Ruy Garcia (sound designer), Anthony Bregman (producer), Lisa Rinzler (DP), and Mark Russell (Visual Effects Supervisor). Rivera dominates the majority of the track with anecdotes about the story, but several of the other crew members step in occasionally to touch on the technical aspects of the production.

Sleep Dealer Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Your enjoyment of Sleep Dealer will likely depend on your expectations going in. If you're expecting a layered story set in a futuristic world, you'll likely come away with the same ho-hum feelings I currently have. I've certainly seen worse science fiction productions, but that doesn't do much to elevate what is otherwise a forgettable experience. Give it a spin as a rental, but hold off on a purchase until you know whether or not the film appeals to your taste.