Sleeping Dogs

Roy Freeman, a retired homicide detective with Alzheimer's, begins an experimental memory treatment in hopes of regaining clues about Dr. Wieder's murder. The procedure is demanding and unsettles him while it promises clarity. The setup frames memory as both a tool and a vulnerability for the coming investigation.

Emily Dietz, an advocate for prison inmates, calls Roy and asks him to meet with Isaac Samuel, an inmate scheduled for execution. Isaac claims he was pressured to confess by Roy's former partner, Detective Jimmy Remis. The encounter drags Roy back toward unresolved questions from the Wieder case.

Roy revisits his old files and memories of the Wieder case, looking for a missed lead. He meets with Jimmy Remis to press why Finn's records were not checked, especially Finn's fingerprints at Wieder's house. Jimmy agrees to look into Finn's file further.

News reaches that Richard Finn died suddenly, and Roy attends Finn's funeral. At the service he receives Finn's manuscript detailing Finn's time with Wieder and with Laura Baines, a woman connected to their work. The manuscript hints at a broader network of involvement that Roy must probe.

Laura Baines learns she will not receive credit for her research with Wieder and disappears from the public eye. The loss of credit signals a motive and heightens the risk that someone will try to silence witnesses. Roy senses Laura's absence is not incidental but connected to the case.

Roy visits Finn's widow, who recalls a heated conversation Finn had with Dr. Elizabeth Westlake. The widow's memory pushes Roy toward a figure who could tie Finn to the doctor. This encounter makes Westlake a more plausible link in the chain of events.

Roy meets Dr. Westlake, who instantly recognizes him and confirms Finn had stalked her. He learns that Laura Baines and Dr. Westlake are the same person, linking Laura to both Finn and the Wieder case. The revelation widens the scope of connections Roy must untangle.

Wayne Devereaux, a former Wieder patient, mentions a heated argument involving Wieder, Finn, and Westlake. He implies there were dangerous tensions behind the research and interactions around Dr. Wieder. Roy files this as a potential motive for violence and cover-up.

Dr. Westlake returns Finn's manuscript to Roy and denies any romantic involvement with Finn. She insists their connection was professional, not personal. Roy notes the inconsistencies and continues to pursue the truth.

Devereaux tries to run Roy over with a pickup truck and is shot dead in self-defense. The attack abruptly raises the stakes of Roy's investigation and eliminates a potential witness. The event accelerates Roy's resolve to uncover the full truth.

At a local bar, Roy learns from the bartender that Diane—his ex-wife—had a history connected to Wieder's experiments. This information deepens the personal stakes of the case for Roy. The bar scene links Roy's past pains to the present investigation.

Roy finds a buried baseball bat at Wieder's house and confronts Laura and Jimmy. Laura shoots Jimmy, who falls to the ground; in his dying moment, he shoots Laura in the back, sparing Roy a direct confrontation. After watching Diane's tape with Wieder, Roy goes to Wieder's house and clubs Wieder to death, and the truth about the cover-up comes to light.

As a consequence of the cover-up, Isaac Samuel spends ten years in prison for a murder he did not commit. The truth emerges only as Roy’s memories return and the characters’ roles are revealed. The ending underscores the tragedy of suppressed truths.