2008 Woodie Awards
A vivid but confusing 'sleep'
By: Linda Merrick
Issue date: 2/19/07 Section: Entertainment
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"The Science of Sleep" is a dream-like movie. In fact, nearly the entire movie is a dream. Not the type of dream Dorothy had in "The Wizard of Oz," but a dream extremely hard to make sense of. A dream almost a reality.
Few directors make a movie with as much imagination as this film contains.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" director Michel Gondry is the perfect man for the job. He creates wonderful visuals making the movie seem like an illusion, but still feel real enough to make it difficult to differentiate the surreal from the real. With his very whimsical, imaginative visuals, Gondry sets a tone of childlike wonder.
"The Science of Sleep" is about a young man, Stéphane Miroux, played by Gael García Bernal (Motorcycle Diaries), who returns to France to live near his mom when his father dies. Stéphane previously lived in Mexico and speaks fluent Spanish and English but cannot speak French well.
Stéphane has vivid dreams and often has difficulty distinguishing between them and reality. So much that his dream life begins interfering with his infatuation with his new neighbor Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), as well as his mundane job.
His obsession with Stephanie leads to great confusion for both Stéphane and the viewer because it is difficult to tell whether or not she really likes him and where exactly their relationship is going.
Audiences remain curious and captivated as reality unfolds through intertwining dreams.
Cities made of toilet paper rolls, men with giant hands, one second time machines and mechanical stuffed horses are only a few of the myriad of fantastic creations Gondry brings to the screen.
"The Science of Sleep" is an extraordinary movie drawing just about anyone in.
Few directors make a movie with as much imagination as this film contains.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" director Michel Gondry is the perfect man for the job. He creates wonderful visuals making the movie seem like an illusion, but still feel real enough to make it difficult to differentiate the surreal from the real. With his very whimsical, imaginative visuals, Gondry sets a tone of childlike wonder.
"The Science of Sleep" is about a young man, Stéphane Miroux, played by Gael García Bernal (Motorcycle Diaries), who returns to France to live near his mom when his father dies. Stéphane previously lived in Mexico and speaks fluent Spanish and English but cannot speak French well.
Stéphane has vivid dreams and often has difficulty distinguishing between them and reality. So much that his dream life begins interfering with his infatuation with his new neighbor Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), as well as his mundane job.
His obsession with Stephanie leads to great confusion for both Stéphane and the viewer because it is difficult to tell whether or not she really likes him and where exactly their relationship is going.
Audiences remain curious and captivated as reality unfolds through intertwining dreams.
Cities made of toilet paper rolls, men with giant hands, one second time machines and mechanical stuffed horses are only a few of the myriad of fantastic creations Gondry brings to the screen.
"The Science of Sleep" is an extraordinary movie drawing just about anyone in.
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