A Wiki Guide To Don't Sleep Film

Don't Sleep is a 2017 American fantasy horror film written and directed by Rick Bieber. The film stars Dominic Sherwood, Charlbi Dean, Jill Hennessy, Drea de Matteo, Alex Rocco, and Cary Elwes. The plot revolves around Zach, who is haunted by nightmares and traumatic memories from his childhood. As the story progresses, Zach's past continues to intrude on his seemingly perfect adult life, leading him to question his own actions and the role of those around him. With a 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its intellectual depth and others criticising its execution.

Plot

"Don't Sleep" is a 2017 American fantasy horror film written and directed by Rick Bieber. The film stars Dominic Sherwood as Zach Bradford, a young man who, after moving into a cottage with his wife Shawn (played by Charlbi Dean), starts to experience terrifying visions and nightmares. The film begins with a Nietzsche quote about embracing the darker aspects of oneself, setting the tone for the exploration of profound formative trauma.

In the opening scene, Zach, as a little boy (played by Dash Williams), wanders through a foggy marsh in a dream sequence. He encounters a bald crone, a little girl with rotting teeth, and an evil twin before waking up. Zach is then reassured by his therapist, Dr. Summers (Cary Elwes), that these are just bad dreams.

Fast-forwarding to the future, Zach is now a married law student with a seemingly perfect life. He has a good relationship with his neighbours, Jo and Vincent Marino (Drea de Matteo and Alex Carter), and a loving marriage. However, things take a dark turn when Vincent's father, Mr. Marino (Alex Rocco), commits suicide. Zach begins to see his childhood double and is haunted by disturbing images on his laptop. He seeks answers about his past, but no one believes him.

The film delves into the tough questions of personal responsibility and the impact of trauma on one's ability to face their darkest impulses. It becomes a story about a community enabling a young man to hide from his true self, with everyone playing a part in ignoring or explaining away the signs of Zach's troubled past. The plot takes a twist when it is revealed that Zach is not the only one haunted by his past, as his wife Shawn and Jo Marino also experience supernatural occurrences. The film concludes with a twist ending that suggests Zach's actions may be beyond his control and that his problems are universal and relatable.

Cast

The 2017 American fantasy horror film Don't Sleep was written and directed by Rick Bieber and features the following cast members:

• Dominic Sherwood as Zach Bradford
• Charlbi Dean as Shawn Edmon
• Jill Hennessy as Cindy Bradford
• Alex Rocco as Mr. Marino
• Drea de Matteo as Jo Marino
• Cary Elwes as Dr. Richard Sommers
• Alex Carter as Vincent Marino
• Andrew Caldwell as Timmy Mickelsen
• Marem Hassler as Sandy Sommers

Don't Sleep was the final film of Alex Rocco, who passed away in 2015.

Reception

The 2017 American fantasy horror film Don't Sleep received mixed reviews from critics. It has a 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on eleven reviews with an average rating of 4.39/10. RogerEbert.com's Simon Abrams gave the film two stars, while Jeffrey M. Anderson of Common Sense Media gave it one star out of five.

In his review for RogerEbert.com, Simon Abrams praised the film's intellectual depth, noting that it was "intellectually more compelling than many of the indie horror films" he had seen. However, he criticised the film's execution, stating that it "was not smart enough to deserve" his recommendation. He attributed this to writer-director Rick Bieber's handling of heavy subjects and the generic nature of the film's antagonists. Despite its ambitious themes, Abrams ultimately found Don't Sleep disappointing.

Jeffrey M. Anderson of Common Sense Media gave Don't Sleep a scathing review, awarding it just one star. He described the film as "misconceived" and criticised its pacing, suggesting that it took too long to understand Bieber's message. Anderson also took issue with the film's portrayal of victim-blaming and its treatment of Shawn's character, who he felt was objectified and reduced to a "trophy" in the narrative.

Despite the mixed critical reception, Don't Sleep boasts a talented cast, including Dominic Sherwood, Charlbi Dean, Jill Hennessy, Drea de Matteo, and Alex Rocco, who passed away before the film's release.

Characters

The 2017 fantasy horror film 'Don't Sleep' features a range of characters, each playing a role in the eerie narrative.

Zach Bradford

Played by Dominic Sherwood, Zach is the central character of the film. The story revolves around his experiences with nightmares and hauntings, as he tries to understand his dark past. Zach progresses from a young boy, played by Dash Williams, to a law student with a seemingly perfect life. However, his world is turned upside down when he starts seeing his childhood double and disturbing images on his laptop.

Shawn Edmon

Portrayed by Charlbi Dean (or Charlbi Dean Kriek), Shawn is Zach's beautiful wife. She finds herself entangled in Zach's haunting experiences, such as when a closet door mysteriously opens while she is undressing. Shawn's patience and beauty are often noted by other characters, but some critics argue that she is underdeveloped and treated as a trophy.

Dr. Richard Sommers

Played by Cary Elwes, Dr. Sommers is Zach's therapist. He reassures Zach that his experiences are just bad dreams and nocturnal emissions. However, Dr. Sommers also becomes entangled in Zach's convoluted story, reminding him of his apparent perfection in life.

Jo Marino

Drea de Matteo takes on the role of Jo Marino, Zach's childhood friend and next-door neighbour. She has a relationship with Vincent Marino and shares an urban legend with him about a Crusades-era warrior. Jo's experiences with the supernatural include witnessing something terrifying while she is intimate with Vincent.

Vincent Marino

Alex Carter portrays Vincent Marino, Jo's partner and Zach's neighbour and childhood friend. He is the son of Mr. Marino, whose suicide triggers a series of eerie events in Zach's life.

Mr. Marino

Played by Alex Rocco, Mr. Marino is Vincent's father. His suicide is a pivotal moment in the film, after which Zach starts experiencing supernatural occurrences.

Timmy Mickelsen

Andrew Caldwell plays Timmy, another one of Zach's childhood friends. He jokes about wanting to be intimate with Shawn and reminds Zach of his apparent good life.

Cindy Bradford

Jill Hennessy portrays Cindy Bradford, who is Zach's mother.

Themes

The 2017 American fantasy horror film *Don't Sleep* is written and directed by Rick Bieber and stars Dominic Sherwood, Charlbi Dean, Jill Hennessy, Drea de Matteo, Alex Rocco, and Cary Elwes. The film explores several themes related to trauma, memory, and personal responsibility.

One of the central themes of *Don't Sleep* is the impact of childhood trauma and how it can haunt individuals into adulthood. The main character, Zach, is trying to come to terms with his past and understand the dark aspects of his personality. He seeks help from a therapist, Dr. Summers, who dismisses his dreams and nightmares as mere bad nocturnal emissions. However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Zach's childhood trauma is more complex and disturbing than he initially realises.

The film also explores the idea of personal responsibility and how individuals can take responsibility for their actions, especially when those actions are influenced by their past traumas. Zach struggles with this as he confronts his childhood demons and tries to reconcile his current life with his forgotten past. The question of responsibility is further complicated by the involvement of the community around him, who are aware of Zach's past but choose to help him hide from it rather than face it head-on.

Another theme in *Don't Sleep* is the reliability of memory and how it can be manipulated or forgotten. Zach's memories of his childhood are fragmented and unclear, and he must piece them together to understand what happened to him. The film suggests that memory can be fallible and influenced by trauma, as Zach's recollection of events changes and evolves throughout the film.

The power dynamics between men and women are also explored in the film, particularly the idea of the "nice guy" trope and how it can be used to mask more sinister intentions. The character of Vincent, Zach's childhood friend, is described as a "nice guy," but the film hints at a darker side to him, suggesting that even those closest to us may have the capacity to cause harm.

Finally, *Don't Sleep* touches on the theme of community and how a group of people can enable an individual to avoid facing their past traumas. The community in the film, including Zach's wife, Shawn, and his childhood friend Timmy, are aware of his past but choose to look the other way or offer superficial reassurances rather than help him truly confront and overcome his demons. This dynamic adds an interesting layer to the film, as it explores the idea that sometimes those closest to us may not always have our best interests at heart.

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