Upon its initial release in 1990, "To Sleep with Anger" went largely unnoticed, owing to poor distribution. However, over the years, the film has garnered critical acclaim as a significant domestic drama centered around an African American family residing in South Los Angeles. In 2017, it was recognized and selected for preservation in the Library of Congress's National Film Registry.
Regrettably, despite its recognition and acclaim, I found myself struggling to engage with the movie. The most prominent issue lies in its excruciatingly slow pace, taking an extended duration before introducing the central antagonist, Harry, played by Danny Glover.
Before Harry's arrival, the film primarily focuses on exploring the dynamics of the household he eventually disrupts. The family consists of elder parents Gideon and Suze, along with their two adult sons: the composed Junior and the unstable Samuel (also known as Baby Brother), both of whom are married with children. The brothers harbor resentment towards each other, with Junior criticizing Baby Brother for not fulfilling his responsibilities as a father and providing support to their parents.
Harry is intended to embody a devilish figure, sowing discord within the family. However, director Charles Burnett takes a remarkably subtle approach to the character, eschewing the use of overt supernatural elements present during the credits, where Harry is depicted sitting in a chair with his feet bursting into flames.
Unfortunately, this subtlety leads to a lack of memorable suspenseful events that should have driven Harry's eventual alienation from the family, culminating in a violent confrontation.
The most menacing aspect of the invited interloper is the knife he carries, accompanied by expressions of superstitious beliefs, hinting at a dark past. Moreover, Harry's misogyny becomes evident as he alludes to the once-libertine life of the now reformed Hattie.
In modern terms, Harry could easily be described as a passive-aggressive character, unable to control his innate negativity. Ultimately, Suze, the family matriarch, asks him to leave, while Gideon's health declines drastically.
The narrative only gains momentum towards the end of the second act when Baby Brother brandishes a knife against Junior, leading to Suze injuring her hand while intervening. Intriguingly, Baby Brother was about to run away with Harry, who encouraged him to find another woman.
The "agent provocateur" finally meets his end, suffering a heart attack and dying on the kitchen floor. The film has been labeled a "black comedy" on Wikipedia, partly due to the darkly humorous finale where Harry's body remains unclaimed, possibly due to the County Coroner's bias against their African American heritage or simply because they are overwhelmed with other cases.
At least there is a glimmer of a happy ending, with Gideon's recovery and the reconciliation of the two siblings.
Glover's portrayal of the devilish troublemaker is convincingly executed, despite the film's overly subtle approach. The rest of the cast performs well, but they are constrained by a slow-moving script that lacks significant plot points and reversals, which could have made the story more engaging.
"To Sleep with Anger" may have earned recognition for its portrayal of domestic turmoil in an African American family, but its excruciatingly slow pacing and underdeveloped plot prevent it from becoming a truly captivating cinematic experience.
Regrettably, despite its recognition and acclaim, I found myself struggling to engage with the movie. The most prominent issue lies in its excruciatingly slow pace, taking an extended duration before introducing the central antagonist, Harry, played by Danny Glover.
Before Harry's arrival, the film primarily focuses on exploring the dynamics of the household he eventually disrupts. The family consists of elder parents Gideon and Suze, along with their two adult sons: the composed Junior and the unstable Samuel (also known as Baby Brother), both of whom are married with children. The brothers harbor resentment towards each other, with Junior criticizing Baby Brother for not fulfilling his responsibilities as a father and providing support to their parents.
Harry is intended to embody a devilish figure, sowing discord within the family. However, director Charles Burnett takes a remarkably subtle approach to the character, eschewing the use of overt supernatural elements present during the credits, where Harry is depicted sitting in a chair with his feet bursting into flames.
Unfortunately, this subtlety leads to a lack of memorable suspenseful events that should have driven Harry's eventual alienation from the family, culminating in a violent confrontation.
The most menacing aspect of the invited interloper is the knife he carries, accompanied by expressions of superstitious beliefs, hinting at a dark past. Moreover, Harry's misogyny becomes evident as he alludes to the once-libertine life of the now reformed Hattie.
In modern terms, Harry could easily be described as a passive-aggressive character, unable to control his innate negativity. Ultimately, Suze, the family matriarch, asks him to leave, while Gideon's health declines drastically.
The narrative only gains momentum towards the end of the second act when Baby Brother brandishes a knife against Junior, leading to Suze injuring her hand while intervening. Intriguingly, Baby Brother was about to run away with Harry, who encouraged him to find another woman.
The "agent provocateur" finally meets his end, suffering a heart attack and dying on the kitchen floor. The film has been labeled a "black comedy" on Wikipedia, partly due to the darkly humorous finale where Harry's body remains unclaimed, possibly due to the County Coroner's bias against their African American heritage or simply because they are overwhelmed with other cases.
At least there is a glimmer of a happy ending, with Gideon's recovery and the reconciliation of the two siblings.
Glover's portrayal of the devilish troublemaker is convincingly executed, despite the film's overly subtle approach. The rest of the cast performs well, but they are constrained by a slow-moving script that lacks significant plot points and reversals, which could have made the story more engaging.
"To Sleep with Anger" may have earned recognition for its portrayal of domestic turmoil in an African American family, but its excruciatingly slow pacing and underdeveloped plot prevent it from becoming a truly captivating cinematic experience.