The Science Of Sleep [DVD] [2006]

I must begin with saying that Michel Gondry's latest effort, The Science Of Sleep, will not appeal to everyone, and I've certainly found that it can be a case of you either love it or hate it. But what I would say is it is a film worth taking a chance on. If you do you will find a film striving to provide something that little bit more individual that results in one of the most rewarding and funny films of the past few years. The visuals demonstrated in the dreams of Stéphane are some of the most creative, expressive and often beautiful put to film. But it is nothing without the movie itself. The chemistry between Gael García Bernal's Stéphane and Charlotte Gainsbourg's Stéphanie is great throughout, displaying love, or possible love in all its awkward, embarassing glory. Even with the mixing of different languages the dialogue is wonderful and often leaves you in stiches. If you ignore the bad joke, in The Science Of Sleep you really may find a film worth dreaming about.

This is a very European production. "The Science of Sleep" permeates with the viewer even more than "Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind" did after its first viewing because its more impulsive and creative. Michel Gondry, now having three full-feature films under his belt, does penetrate the very core of our dreams, and somehow makes us believe that we can too.

In the beginning of this film we can clearly see that Stephane, played by the charming Gael Garcia Bernal, has problems distinguishing dreams from reality. Stephane at first, lived in Mexico with his father, then moves to Paris with his mother after his father death. Taking up a boring and unsatisfying job, he often flees to an imaginary world. He falls in love with his new neighbor Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourgh). She herself is some sort of a dreamer, though more grounded in reality than Stephane. Though smitten by his fantastic world and creativity helps kick off their relationship. Now as the movie progresses Gondry blurs this concrete line and it becomes difficult for us to see the difference. This is a key part of the film, and seems to keep the impulse to a minimum while keeping us more in tune with Stephanes fantasies. Like everyone Stephane does, in his dreams, what he wants to do in reality, but can never muster the nerve to.

What's astonishing about this film is the sheer surreal childlike quality that Gondry is able to keep throughout the film. It's like an 8 year old was allowed to let his imagination go loose. Seldom have we seen such an inventive world on screen. The acting is naturally impressive. Gael Garcia Bernal is the perfect choice for Stephane. Though his character is a little bit uncanny (to say at least), he's able to make us feel sympathy for his character, especially at the end which is no small accomplishment. Gainsbourgh's prim and unconventional beauty is the perfect match for Bernal.

"The Science of Sleep" is more creative than Gondry's last two efforts, while still incorporating his interesting film work. Gondry does take the childlike stop-motion feel of "Rhinoceros Eyes," and blends it seemingly with his original ingenuity. A very human story involving the drama, paranoia, and tension experience. Not to be miss for the Indie film fans.

Romantic comedies by definition are supposed to be `feel good'. Girl loses boy, girl wins boy back by some improbable twist of fate or unlikely coincidence that only happens in the movies and audiences share and dwell vicariously in the whole `feel goodness' of it all. As a `romantic comedy' Michel Gondry's latest really is a bit odd. The `comedy' box has been firmly ticked and so has the box labelled `bittersweet love story', but by definition of romantic comedies The Science Of Sleep most certainly is not. If you've seen any of Gondry's music video (The White Stripes) output over recent years or checked out the strange but engaging `Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind', then you may perhaps have a slight advantage over the person next to you, who, well, erm... hasn't seen them.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, as a movie directed by a Gallic film-maker, the comedy of Science is very very French (albeit French humour able to laugh heartily at fart jokes), has a casual indifference to sex and is more than a little warped. The ever versatile Gael Garcia Bernal is Stephane, a shy and awkward graphic artist, who comes to stay with his mother and work as a Calendar Designer following the death of his father. For reasons not best explained Stephane is prone to nodding off unannounced and whilst dreaming, regularly broadcasts television shows (perhaps the stuff of his subconscious). The dream like architecture melds felt, cardboard, cellophane and a hefty portion of surrealism together into a world that eventually becomes hard to distinguish from his waking life. To make matters worse he's fallen in love with his creative and equally kooky neighbour Stephanie (a scruffy yet sultry Charlotte Gainsborough).

It's best to go in The Science Of Sleep with few preconceptions or a desire to work out exactly what's going on. Although it's clear that Gondry is meditating on acceptance, rejection and ultimately love (however fruitless), his patchwork quilt of a movie often appears contrived and a little too clever clever for its own good. There are moments in here that work wonderfully well (the cardboard car chase, felt skiing and the 1 second time machine) and others that are jarring or just simply grate. The Science Of Sleep is a delight to look at, blending in-camera trickery with stop motion puppetry, Gondry's imagination shows no bounds. But by working from his own script he tends to drift toward self-indulgence.

Imaginative, sweetly romantic, frantic and twisted: The Science of Sleep won't be everyone's favourite blend of tea. As a means to seeing something artful, odd and strangely unique, this bonkers tale is like that jolly jaunt through a ramshackle town compared to the uber cool gleam of the big city cinema-scape and is all the better for it.