"The Science of Sleep" - 2.13.07
For Access Brighton. (Unedited version.)

In The Science of Sleep, Stephane is awkward and unassertive in real life; but in his dreams, he becomes a confident, charismatic figure, hosting his own tv show and gaining the adulation of the people who harass him during his waking hours. But increasingly, his fanciful inventions center around the intriguing Stephanie, his new neighbor who seems to have even more than a similar name in common with Stephane.

The word most often used to describe this film will undoubtedly be "surreal," both for its elaborate and highly imaginative dream sequences, as well as the quaintly peculiar characters who add to the oddball humor. The visuals are, of course, the most outstanding feature of the movie. Director Michel Gondry's trademark stopmotion animation brings a homely, hand-crafted charm to the wildly creative scenes, ranging from the gentle whimsy of a galloping toy pony to the grandiose eruption of a cardboard city. Yet these sequences are more than mere eyecandy, for they also depict the inner world that Stephane (Gael Garcia Bernal) experiences so vividly.

Although it makes for a rather disjointed narrative, the continual blurring of Stephane's sleeping and waking worlds does really create the sense of being in and out of the subconscious. Fantasy and reality flow into each other, the nonsense logic of dreams mixing with the absurdities for daily life. However it is also slightly frustrating, as it becomes increasingly difficult to determine what has actually happened in reality, as boundaries and transitions seem to vanish, and the overall strangeness keeps everything unclear. The constant flickering between Spanish, English, and French further contributes to the sense of ever-shifting displacement and uncertainty.

But the story is all about uncertainty, as Stephane attempts to make sense of Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who amazes him with her unique creativity and shy, unassuming grace. Though it lacks some depth, the developing relationship between two does sparkle with a real sense of affection and curiosity, and it is saved from being too cute by their squabbles and misunderstandings. However, some of this conflict also arises as Stephane's personality, initially sweet and eccentrically endearing, degenerates into puerile immaturity - a shift that also makes him a less sympathetic character.

Just as Stephane pushes too much, the film itself also seems to try rather too hard to be quirky. But for the most part, it's a charming and slightly delirious movie, filled with the gentle bewilderment of love.