The Sleep Experiment, Staying Awake For As Long As You Can
Touting to be derived from real events, The Sleep Experiment isn’t as far-fetched as some might think. It’s entirely plausible to think that this sort of thing may have happened in the past and quite possibly by Governments with less discerning morals when it comes to valuing life. In The Sleep Experiment what isn’t a surprise is what happens. It’s common knowledge that no sleep equals a less-than-sane mindset. Add to that, 5 prison lifers in a small room who have been set to task to stay awake for 30 days and you have yourself a pressure cooker of crazy.
Still, it’s not the first time films covering this topic have been made into a movie. This particular story is influenced by a Creepypasta storytime story. Then the rest is gleaned from what is said to be taken from real life. You Shall Not Sleep and Sleep No More are two other films touching on this specific theme. In The Sleep Experiment, the group of men is told the rules once inside. They must stay awake and complete orders for certain physical activities. They must also comply with all instructions. The room is pumped full of a wacky gas that will ensure they will be able to do what has been assigned.
No Sleep Till Bedtime
While the men get to talking and getting to know one another, the film inserts a present-day investigation after the events. Two policemen interview a man called Christopher who they believe was in charge of the experiments. While watching the men slowly erode into a suspicious and manic state, we get to hear the reasons the experiment took place in the first place and what went wrong.
But why would a group of people, even prisoners, subject themselves to experimental testing? Well, Christopher explains, that he was really interested in seeing how far people would go to save their own lives. The Sleep Experiment is an interesting movie. However, aside from the motivations of the guy behind being twisted from its usual narrative niche, there isn’t anything new here.
But there are some solid performances from everyone involved which do make this a tense and enjoyable watch. I also found it mildly concerning that a group of mostly hardened prisoners was all able to admit to their mommy issues. They spend a lot of time talking through their childhood trauma before completely losing the plot.
The Sleep Experiment, Where to Watch
Distributed by Red Water Entertainment. Directed by John Farrelly. Produced by Indiecan Entertainment and Jackpot Film.
The Sleep Experiment, an Irish psychological thriller, is available on many digital and cable platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, iNDemand, and DISH, starting November 1st, 2022.
The film stars Rob James Capel, Will Murphy, Tom Kerrisk, Barry John Kinsella, and Will Murphy.
