  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
| “ | You were scared little pricks, both a you's. All a you's, scared shitless. But I tried to make you tough, I tried to make you hard. | „ |
| ~ Sean Nokes, justifying his actions to Tommy and John |
Sean Nokes is the main antagonist of the 1996 live action film Sleepers. He was a corrupt juvenile care facility guard who regularly raped and abused the boys there, despite having a wife and child and wanting to become a police officer.
He was portrayed by the legendary actor Kevin Bacon, who also played Bobby Hayes in R.I.P.D., Sebastian Caine in Hollow Man, Jacques in Super, Sebastian Shaw in X-Men: First Class, Wade in River Wild, Martin Thiel in Criminal Law, Ray Duquette in Wild Things, and Joe Hickey in Trapped.
Sleepers
In the summer of 1967, four boys - Tommy Marcano, John Reilly, Michael Sullivan, and Lorenzo "Shakes" Carcaterra - are sent to the juvenile correction facility, the Wilkinson Home for Boys in upstate New York, after causing a prank that nearly killed a man. While at the facility, the boys are systematically abused and raped by the guard Sean Nokes and his friends, Henry Addison, Ralph Ferguson, and Adam Styler. The horrifying abuse changes the boys and their friendship forever. Out of shame, they urge their parents in letters not to visit during their stay at the home. Not even to local priest, Father Robert "Bobby" Carillo, who insists on visiting, can they speak openly about these events. During the boys' stay at the facility, they participate in Wilkinson's annual football game between the guards and inmates, and usually it is clear which team will be victorious. Michael convinces "Rizzo", an intimidating black inmate, that this time the guards should not win out of fear of consequences if the boys withstand, but instead they should hit back as hard as possible.
Rizzo agrees and the five and a few more fight on and beat the guards in front of all others watching their disgrace. As a result of this, Shakes, Tommy, Michael, and John are all beaten and thrown into solitary confinement for several weeks, and some of the guards who lost (including Nokes and his friends) brutally beat Rizzo to death. Through their entire year at the Wilkinson Home for Boys, all four of the boys are subjected to severe physical, mental and sexual torture by the guards, especially Nokes.
Nokes meets a timely end.
Fourteen years Later, two feared notorious gang leaders enter a bar. One of them goes to the back of the building to use the restroom and recognizes a much older Sean Nokes sitting at a table, eating his dinner. The man returns to his friend, who also recognizes Nokes.
They confront Nokes, who does not remember them and is clearly not sorry for what he has done as he is too prideful to pledge them for mercy even though he knows that they are ready to end his life. They reveal themselves to be Tommy and John, two of the boys that Nokes regularly raped and beat.
Despite there being many witnesses, the two were unable to contain themselves and Nokes is then brutally shot multiple times, getting revenge and justice for the horrible treatment he put them through.
Aftermath
Michael, who has become an assistant district attorney, arranges to be assigned to the case; he secretly intends to botch the prosecution. He and Shakes, a newspaper reporter, forge a plan to free John and Tommy and get revenge on their surviving abusers. With the help of others (including King Benny and their childhood friend Carol), they carry out their plan using information compiled by Michael on the backgrounds of the former Wilkinson guards. They also hire Danny Snyder, a washed-up lawyer, to defend John and Tommy.
Michael's plan will only work if he can discredit Nokes and place John and Tommy at another location at the time of the shooting. Ferguson, when called in court as a witness for Nokes' character, is forced to admit that he, Nokes, and other guards abused boys. To clinch the case, however, they need a key witness who can give John and Tommy an alibi. Shakes has a long talk with Father Bobby, who resists at first but -after hearing of the abuse - agrees to perjure himself. At trial, Father Bobby testifies that John and Tommy were with him at a New York Knicks game at the time of the shooting and has 3 ticket stubs to prove that they were at the game with him. As a result, John and Tommy are acquitted.
The remaining guards are also punished for their crimes: Addison, now a politician who still molests children, is killed by Little Caesar, a local drug kingpin and Rizzo's older brother; Styler, now a corrupt police officer, is arrested for taking bribes and murdering a drug dealer; and Ferguson, a social worker, loses his job and family and is plagued by guilt for the rest of his life.
Michael, Shakes, John, Tommy, and Carol meet at a bar to celebrate. Shakes remains a newspaper reporter, living in Hell's Kitchen. Michael quits the DA's office, moves to the English countryside, becomes a carpenter and never marries. John drinks himself to death and Tommy is murdered; both die before age 30. Carol stays in the city as a social worker and has a son, whom she names after the four boys.
Trivia
- Lorenzo Carcaterra, the author of the book the film is based on, maintains that it is a completely true story and that Sean Nokes is a different name for a real person, but the person's real identity has been kept secret by the judicial system.