User Reviews

As a Horror fan, I like watching at least one Horror film every day (when I get the chance), and recently I've noticed a certain pattern in Thriller Horror films: they're mostly Thrillers with some touch of Horror and not basic Horror. Mientras Duermes (Sleep Tight) is a perfect example.

The real horrifying part of this film is that it plays on the small fears that regular people have, even if only at the back of their minds subconsciously. Having someone bluntly invade your privacy without you knowing it, being blackmailed for something you've done, getting old alone and becoming the gray figure neighbours pretend to be nice to - these are only some of the examples.

The story is original and clever, and unfolds only towards the middle. The acting is right on the spot. Everything is done just the way it should. This film takes the audience to the darker places of their emotions and thoughts, but not in an obvious blunt way like most Horror films, but in a deceptive and clever way. Very artistic.

There's an old saying - "there are no bad people, only people who have it bad". This film truly examines that statement, both philosophically and physically. I don't know if I could truly say I enjoyed watching it, but I'm glad I did, and I think so would you!

¨Sleep Tight¨ is both an intense , intriguing and an exciting portrait of subdued madness . ¨Mientras Duermes¨ (the official English title is Sleep tight , but the correct translation is "while you sleep", which to me is far more creepy) lives up to Jaume Balaguero's reputation . This interesting film deals with Cesar (Luis Tosar) , a lone man being incapable of happiness . The residents of the building where Cesar works as a concierge are not aware of the overtime he has been putting in . Apparently, he is at their service both day and night . Before the sun even has a chance to get its morning coffee , César is climbing out of bed , the sympathetic Clara (Marta Etura) still sleeping deeply beside him . When we meet César, he is lying in bed next to the gorgeous girl . He says as much in Sleep's opening voice-over as he stands at a rooftop's edge . He's a sad doorman at an upper crust apartment complex , but , despite he cannot be happy , Cesar goes about his work with dignified class . The adorable Clara is César's polar opposite , she is full of happiness . She is a likable tenant in the apartment building and her gladness is insistent and contagious . But when her boyfriend (Alberto San Juan) arrives in the building the events go wrong .

While Balaguero earlier films focused more on family , social situations , religion and weird creatures , his latest introduces the audience to the worst monster : the human being . This suspenseful movie was produced by the successful Catalan producers Julio and Carlos Fernandez from Fantastic factory ; it displays relentless thriller , intrigue , shocks , hard-edged drama , plot twists , creepy images and some gore when crime takes place . Director Jaume Balagueró (Rec, Rec 2, Fragiles , Darkness , The nameless) uses that uneasy non-knowledge for both horror and introducing brief touches of black humor . ¨Sleep Tight¨ is a motion picture that balances precariously over the dark comedy , ¨Psycho¨' Hitchockian intrigue , Michael Haneke's ¨Funny games¨ invasion genre bins and Michael Powell's ¨Peeping Tom¨ style . The overall result is chilling proof that Balagueró can take us back into an apartment building while delivering a completely different scare . Extraordinary performance by Luis Tosar , he plays a real tour-de-force in one of his best acting of his important career as a solitary and unhappy psychopath and an attractive , enjoyable Marta Etura , both of whom are a happy couple in real life . The picture packs a thrilling and intriguing musical score by Lucas Vidal . Furthermore , a colorful and appropriate cinematography by Pablo Rosso , Balaguero's usual .

'Sleep Tight' demonstrates director Balagueró's versatility , resulting to be a sublime thriller that every genre buff should be excited for . Rating : Good , better than average . The movie will appeal to thriller and suspense fans .

Firstly, I feel it is important to state that though the marketing says everywhere 'from the director of Rec', and I understand why, this is nothing like Rec. I personally thought that Rec was an excellent film, and despite being an addition to an over exhausted genre, at the time it brought something new to it. Sleep Tight is however, though a 'horror' by genre, much more subtle and psychological. For me, this it to its credit and what is produced is a master class in psychological horror. It is very hard to describe the plot to Sleep Tight without giving too much away about the developments in the plot, as it are these constant developments that are central to the psychological and emotional impact of the narrative. I also feel it is important to say that from what I described in the plot that it is not a film that is brutal or horrific just for the sake of it, or is torture porn. Sleep Tight is a far more intelligent film that in fact has very little blood or gore, and the horror lies simply in the atmosphere, psychology and emotional impact of described plot developments.

I personally found that one of the shocking aspects of this film was the personal revelations that our revealed about our own sub conscience. César commits some quite despicable acts that any moral human being would never consider doing; however we do feel sympathy and understanding towards the protagonist. We almost feel a part of his actions due to how the story is told from his point of view and when there is a risk of him getting caught I genuinely felt nervous, despite the fact he should obviously be in prison for what he is doing. I am of course only speaking for myself here, and the viewing experience of this film and emotional reaction to what goes on within the narrative may differ between viewers. I was however relieved to read that other reviewers have said similar things. Our emotional sympathy for the protagonist is most definitely partly down to Luis Tosar's magnetic performance as César. He strikes up feelings of fear and disgust, yet also evokes sympathy, in a similar way to his stunning performance in the excellent Cell 211 (Daniel Monzón, 2009).

Sleep Tight is a film consisting of some deeply unforgettable moments that stay with us for a while. The feelings we often get from these moments may not be good ones, but it is due to the expertly crafted psychological horror with images that are often only described that lies in what makes Sleep Tight such a deeply effecting experience. Many horror films tend to have far-fetched concepts which take away some of the effectiveness, however what happens within the narrative of Sleep Tight is perfectly believable and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that this can happen to anyone, possibly without us even knowing. The shocks never get boring, leaving to an extremely compelling experience, leading all the way up to unforgettable ending that will haunt for days. Also adding to the horror is the extremely effective juxtaposition of there always being bright sunshine outside and having an up-tempo swing soundtrack, despite what is happening within the narrative leaving an extremely disconcerting feeling even during the day when everyone is supposed to be safe.

One criticism is that some of the few things that César does without getting noticed are perhaps a little unbelievable. However, maybe I thought this because I know he is there. If you are not aware of his presence then maybe you indeed would be less likely to notice. Proving that less can indeed be more; Sleep Tight is vastly more effective and genuinely haunting than any big budget horror film that Hollywood tends to produce these days. With some unforgettable moments, Sleep Tight is genuinely guaranteed to haunt your sub conscience for days.

Spanish thrillers are always original and different, I have been waiting for this movie after Rec(2007)& REC 2(2009).

It is an original thriller which has its values intact and will haunt your inner-self upside down. The story is about a person who is calamitous and he strives for a transcendental happiness through other people related to him.

It is an enigmatic movie with bleak intentions (being Ironic here) culminating a character, which has cruel intentions for his ecstasies.

An impeccable performance by Luis Tosar, story is first rate and screenplay is amazing.

Recommended for everyone who like thrillers

My 8/10

I had no idea what this film was about before I saw it, and boy was I pleasantly surprised. From the same director as REC and also set in an apartment block. This Spanish gem has a great cast, especially the lead 'Luis Tosar' who plays his part superbly, filling you with an ever increasing sense of unease and shock at what you're witnessing. It's very beautifully shot too, making the most of it's apartment block setting. By the end of the film I was left thinking "this could actually happen".

It's by far one of the creepiest, most twisted tales I've had the pleasure of watching in a long time.

Highly recommended!

After big summer blockbusters, I think it's time to turn to a more thought-provoking European movies, and Mientras Duermes is a perfect choice. We have seen a multitude of Spanish movies that are excellent but somehow they don't reach any of the viewers and instead rot in the video stores (I guess they still exist...). What is fascinating (fascinating, this movie form is alive) about them are the plots and general ideas that are so whacked out and original that it's mind boggling. And lets be perfectly clear, these are not some straight-to-DVD movies with small budget and amateur actors, but a full-bloodied cinema masterpieces, with phenomenal actors and immaculate scripts. Immediately after watching Mientras Duermes I checked out what other movies did this talented crew created and Celda 211 was my first choice. I haven't watched it yet, but it seems like a damn fine movie.

I was talking about the originality and the pureness of the ideas in European cinema, and if you remember a couple months earlier I reviewed El Habitante Incierto, another phenomenal Spanish movie with a great script. Sleep Tight or Mientras Duermes, is a Spanish movie and I implore you to see the original version in Spanish as with any other movie that has a dubbed version, no matter how good the dubbing is, it's still not the real thing. One more thing about this movie is very disturbing and that is the sympathy for Cesar that I felt throughout the movie, although I maybe shouldn't. The suspense, the twists, the acting... I could go on and on telling you how good this movie is and how the atmosphere has that special vibe, that space-time continuum thingy captured, so every time you decide to watch it, you will relive it...

You probably noticed that the half of the review space has gone in some gibberish and not a word was said about the actual movie, and the reason for this is that I am afraid to say almost anything because it might ruin your viewing experience. I dived into this, now already cult, movie without any informations and was amazed, and so far everyone that have seen it had the same reaction. Some scenes where Cesar is trying to avoid detection are nerve-wrecking and so intense that I felt like I was going through it all. But still, here's something to keep you going: César works as a janitor in a building and is pretty much disappointed in life. He has no friends nor a girlfriend, no interests and nothing to make him happy, just his menial work and the smiling faces of other people who seem to be doing just fine. One of them is Clara, a beautiful girl living in the same building. Soon she becomes a subject of obsession for Cesar and to what degree this goes is up to you to find out...

Movie recommendations Rabbit-Reviews.com - Only movies worth watching

There are movies that come along that really leave you in a state of intrigue and a bit at a loss for words. Most of these kinds of movies come from the foreign film market and usually are a bit confusing and make little to no sense. The latest film comes from the Spanish market called Sleep Tight and takes the viewer down a strange dark path of some worst fears.

Sleep Tight follows the superintendent of an apartment building who on the surface seems like the perfect employee and all the tenants love him, but he secretly enjoys inflicting pain on others. This movie starts off a bit slow and seemingly average, but then it takes a dark twist letting the viewer know that something sinister is going on. The story is simple, but heads down some pretty dark and disturbing directions adding a bit of terror that is even more scary due to the real life nature of it. The performances are pretty subtle overall, but as the truth begins to be revealed there is just enough a change to make it work, but still maintain the creepy simple aspect of it. This is one of the more disturbing movies to come along in some time. Not because of the gore or the scary nature, but because it plays to the simple fears people have and knowing how easy some of this could actually happen.

This is a slow paced film that manages to build to a terrifying reality that affects everyone in the bigger picture. The twists and direction this character goes through to accomplish his goal is disturbing on numerous levels. This is not a scary movie in the traditional sense, but more thanks to the realism. If you weren't afraid of what's under your bed already, this film could change your mind. Be warned this movie is in Spanish, so if you do not speak it, then you will have to read the subtitles, but it is worth every word.

Without the use of gratuitous violence and gore, this movie manages to find it's place at the top of it's genre.

It is incredibly uncomfortable to watch, and part of me wanted to stop watching at several points. It is truly amazing how the movie manages to evoke such a feeling of suspense and, well, awkwardness from the audience.

Movies like 'Funny Games' and 'The Strangers' attempt to provoke the audience in similar ways but fall short, while other films like 'Martyrs' use over-the-top gore to aid their attempts.

Despite the disturbing content of the film, the difficulty I had in viewing it, and many of the characters' actions being difficult to relate to, I recommend it highly and consider this movie a great success as it accomplished what it set out to do - impact the viewers psychologically.

This is a must-watch for any fan of psychological thrillers/horrors.

I 've seen "REC" some months ago and I just wasn't sure... I mean, how can you tell if there is a visionary director or some random guy who just got lucky? "REC" wasn't so demanding by concept and it all worked out fine.

So I had to check another one and this time I was sure that Jaume Balagueró really is a visionary director plus ...I got lucky! Because Sleep Tight was a real treat for this messed up part of my mind (we all have this, aren't we?).

Yes, it is a thriller all right, but not the horror-jump scare kind of thriller. The horror element here is actually a poison more than just a scare. It will slowly get into you and when this film is done it will extract a portion of happiness out of your soul for the pleasure of César.

César is the main character and he is suffering from pathological unhappiness. He have an urge to kill himself every single day but his survival instinct driving him to find a reason not to. But what can you do to feel better in this absolute sadness especially since you realise that you are just not capable of happiness? Well, misery loves company. And the only way is to make the others unhappy too.

That's the whole story actually, but the way this story unfolds itself before our unsuspected eyes is masterful. I was watching the film alone and I was so into it in the first twenty minutes that at some point I was yelling to the TV. I was on the edge ever after and before the very end I was filled with sympathy AND repulsion for the same character, soaked into despair of what a man can do.

(67%) During watching this tightly wound thriller I became hugely impressed by its fine performances, great writing, and hugely intriguing premise. But once this makes its way into its final few chapters the true extent of the main characters' evil makes this a very hard film to have anything other than respect, but not one shred of fondness toward. This in fact may be the most horrible plot to any film I've ever seen. Early on you can compare the seedy doorman (a very good Luis Tosar) to The Simpsons' Moe Szyslak, but once things begin to get very dark that comparison isn't very funny. This is well worth tracking down, but be warned, it really isn't a typical Hollywood light and easy sit.

This movie is wicked. Really wicked in an awesome way. One of the guys responsible for REC is also responsible for this one. It's the one who also did Nameless and Darkness. And this is closer to those movies. In that it is more of a thriller than a straight horror movie that is. Awesome acting on hand, terrific story (literally) and overall a great movie to watch.

I won't tell you anything about the movie, because it works wonders when you watch it without any previous knowledge of the story. And while I knew where some scenes were heading (like the "wake-up" scene at the beginning), I had to guess quite a few things. Don't forget though: This is evil and will put you into a position you might not like. And that's the point of it all ... Brilliant!

In terms of creative story telling, acting, cinematography, dialogue this rates 8 stars for me. Story, as viewers probably already have read, centers on a intelligent but highly disturbed condo complex doorman, fixer-upper, greeter, what ever task dwellers ask of him. He lives alone in the basement, has had problems keeping similar jobs in the past and has some serious anger self- esteem issues. Also has a semi-aware yet comatose hospitalized mom with whom he has mommy issues with and in whom he confides his evil intentions just to torment her and be the vehicle by which the audience learns his true nature. But, 6 stars for too many holes in the story such as his background with his mom; how he became so creepy; how he was able to pull so much off, so many times, without being caught, especially when the police fail with what little they know about forensics in solving a death in the building and other investigations; finally, the ending which was clever but not believable. Summation - 7 stars.

It was a bit predictable, and something was missing at the end, it could have been so much better. Pretty good movie tho.

All it takes is one bad day to reduce the happiest person alive to despair, and Sleep Tight's dastardly villain is determined that anyone can be broken with a little patient planning. With all his plan's successes and failures, it manages to suck the viewer in, somehow forcing me to root for him and be disgusted by his vile deeds at the same time, even making my heart pound uncontrollably in sympathy with him as his plans start to go awry. Demanding sympathy for a monster is no easy feat, and full credit belongs with the screenwriter and the director's flawless execution. A few scenes seemed unrealistic, so it's not perfectly written, but it's certainly a thriller that I won't soon forget.

The perspective of the antagonist feels so real. The acting is absolutely amazing, which makes the cold heartedness of the concierge all the more vivid. Its a thriller and from the beginning you know how messed up things are going to get. However, with each minute the acts of the main character turn more evil than you could possibly imagine. I did not look away from the screen for the entire 1,5 hour.

Nonetheless, I really struggle giving this movie any higher than a 7/10. While everything is done beautifully and the story is an absolute thrill, it all seems a bit pointless at the end. I mean, the concept of the movie is to obtain the perspective of true sadism. While interesting in Schindlers list for example, it feels like this movie is overdoing it. It will just leave you empty and sad, while thinking: yep, thats true evil right there. Similar to the movie 'the devil all the times '.

All in all, its a thrilling and interesting watch. Just dont expect it to be enjoyable.