David M. Walsh

Sadly, "Sleeper" hasn't lasted as well as "Annie Hall", "Manhattan", and other classics from the Allen and Brickman pens. The "satire" in "Sleeper" now looks rather #!@%*#-hum (reality having produced much more horrific things to satirize). And the frenetic running round, falling down, etc, was done much better by Buster Keaton (85 years ago) than by Diane Keaton, who in "Sleeper" looks as if she's trying hard to be a good sport (she could get more laughs out of saying "la-di-da" as Annie than out of this whole "Sleeper" script). OK, it was a gallant effort, full of brilliant moments, and it should have worked; but I'm afraid there will be too many viewers sitting at home watching this sci-fi spoof on their TV screens and thinking, "I must be enjoying this, right? - because it's by the master." And is he still the great master? - sure he is. Check out his "Whatever Works" (2009) with Larry David.