‘Sleeping Dogs’ Review – Whodunit Strives To Be ‘Memento’, But Forgets It All Together

Russell Crowe shows his charisma has retained its shine, even if the film is a meandering, subpar effort. In Sleeping Dogs, Crowe plays a former detective suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. When an old murder case comes up for review, he must piece together old clues and visit new leads to see if the real killer remains at large. His Alzheimer’s is a mere plot device that is only explored at a surface level. The film spends the majority of its time focusing on the complex mystery. Film noir elements appear here and there, and Crowe’s character is an exciting subject for a detective, but ultimately, the film offers little in terms of invention or discovery. What follows over nearly two hours is a convoluted whodunit, held together by a captivating performance by Crowe.

There is an exciting angle to Sleeping Dogs. A former detective, Roy Freeman (Crowe), operating without using his memory, is a unique premise for a mystery. There are moments in the film where this story has some tangible exploits and brings to mind Memento or another early Christopher Nolan thriller, Insomnia. However, as with real memories, these moments are fleeting in this film. Little effort is made to expose the trauma of losing one’s memory while trying to crack an intricate case.

Film noir whistles throughout the film. Enter Laura Baines (Karen Gillan) as a femme fatale figure. She brings a sense of menace and nuance to the role and a modern take on the character trope. In addition to Gillan, Tommy Flanagan plays Freeman’s old partner, Jimmy Remis. His character offers a contrast to Freeman. He exists in the story to provide context on the murder and add intrigue to the new elements of the story.

Once Freeman returns to the case, the film spins a complex web of characters and motivations. Audiences should take notes to avoid becoming tangled in the web. Fortunately, as convoluted as the story becomes, Crowe is at the center and brings a unique spin to the grizzled ex-cop trope. He imbues Freeman with introspection for a man struggling to maintain his memories. What is reality plays heavily in the story. Freeman tunnels through layers of mystery, trying to piece together ten years of history. Deception is paramount against an ex-cop who cannot recall memories of a case he seemingly solved. At the center, he finds more than meets the eye.

At the film’s beginning, Freeman is working on a puzzle. He struggles to complete it, a sign of his disease. There is an element of sadness for someone who must rely on his mind for work and cannot solve a simple jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle appears at the end when Freeman completes it. The film’s most potent scene offers nuance but arrives too late to jumpstart the story. Crowe shines here, even though the twist in the scene falls flat.

It is a shame the angle of his Alzheimer’s is only left as a plot device rather than an impactful theme. The film has echoes of Memento but never reaches that level of intricate brilliance and feels like a doggy copy-and-paste effort. Both Memento and Sleeping Dogs present a character unable to make or maintain memories. The difference is that the former utilizes the character’s challenge, whereas the latter seems to forget about it only when necessary to the story.

The film hurries instead of allowing time to breathe and then meanders through exposition and the occasional clichés. The whodunit concludes in a grand finish but saves one last twist for the end. This final shock occurs when Freeman completes his jigsaw puzzle. The result is unsurprised and unearned, likely leaving the audience more annoyed than intrigued.

Sleeping Dogs will be available exclusively in theaters on March 22, 2024, courtesy of The Avenue.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2S9unF0f-s]