American filmmakers have a weakness for presenting a shoot-out as either the precursor of redemption or redemptive in itself; this film falls into the latter group.

The cast is skilfully alert... and Schrader's vision is unencumbered either by sentiment or cynicism.

Light Sleeper is emblematic of an era, and is recommended on that basis and on the excellent quality of it acting.

Though well acted and never uninteresting, Light Sleeper is far less intense than most of Schrader's work and further diluted by an unrealistic ending.