MovieChat Forums > Sleepers (1996) Discussion > Should Michael have gotten more jail tim...

Should Michael have gotten more jail time?

posted 13 years ago by empireemp24
7 replies | jump to latest

Not sure if it would have been able to been proven but think about it. Michael suggested that the boys steal from the hot dog vendor. He also suggested that they move the vendors cart. And while were at it , Shakes is the one that suggests they leave it by the subway railing.

I dont know what the law is or if John and Tommy could have testified against them but it seems unfair to me that all they did was go along for the ride and ended up with the same amount of jail time. Actually more in Shakes case.

Also ironic that the two boys least involved with this crime ended up with the bad outcomes.

[–] PointXBlankXRange 13 years ago

In the book, Michael did get more time. Shakes, John and Tommy served less.

The irony that you talk about with John and Tommy really isn't that ironic to me. They were the sweethearts of the group, the babies, I guess. After something that traumatic happens, my guess would be that they had decided that they weren't going to be babies anymore, and no one would be able to hurt them like that again. That snap is seen in John in the book, where he actually takes a shiv to Ferguson's (I believe) throat when he tries to assault him at one point. While they were inside, they had just reached that point where they wouldn't let anything like that happen to them again, and so would have to harden themselves to the point where they were almost unrecognizable.

[–] ananeke 13 years ago

Actually, Shakes didn't suggest they leave the cart by the subway, that was Michael's idea, and he ended up getting the least amount of time, since he didn't actually steal the cart, he showed up after they had already taken it.

But in the book, the judge says that since he stole the hot dog in the first place and that led to everything that happened after, he should get more.

Michael was the leader, I think he should have gotten more time, but there's no way any of the others would say anything against him since they were all best frends. They all stuck together and Father Bobby did put in a good word for him so the judge probably took it easy on him.

[–] empireemp24 13 years ago

Yeah Father Bobby knowing the boys def helped. Chances are it knocked atleast 5 years off of a sentence for each of them.

And I might be wrong but I couldve swore Shakes was the one to suggest leaning the cart over the edge of the subway stairs. Michael just wanted to move it away from where the vendor originally had it.

Whats the name of the book that people here are reffering to? I might need to pick that up.

[–] ananeke 13 years ago

It's called Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra. I've read it so many times, there's a lot more stuff they did as kids in it. Good and bad. The movie follows it pretty closely, just a few minor details changed, but it's good.

[–] empireemp24 13 years ago

Thanks..picked if up off of Ebay and about a third through it so far , right at the point where the cart falls down the subway stairs. Really interesting stuff.

They def used the best lines and scenes for the movie.

[–] manofsteel4455 13 years ago

At the end of the day.None of the things in the movie would've happened had it not been for that annoying prick Michael!

You want to play the game, you'd better know the rules, love.
-Harry Callahan

[–] ananeke 13 years ago

I agree manofsteel4455.
After reading the book, every time they got in trouble it was because Michael had a plan. I was like, he's been wrong before don't let him be the leader!
But he does make up for in end. Too late, but he tried.