The Science Of Sleep (2006)

Science of sleep is a film by Michel Gondry, director of Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind. Science of sleep follows the story of Stéphane Miroux who lands a job at a calender making firm. In doing so he moves into a near by apartment building. Here he meets Stéphanie, who he falls for. However Stéphane lives on a thin line between dreams and reality and what we get is a love story with a trippy twist.

I think enough has been said about the genius of Eternal sunshine that you only have to mention the name to those who have seen it and fond memories return. So as you can guess i went into this film with huge expectations, and it did not in any way... disappoint.

The first thing that really struck me was how funny it was. More so than eternal sunshine. This film has moments of laugh out loud humour. One example is a scene in which Stéphane is trying to retrieve a letter he sent through Stephanie's door with a coat hanger and we later see it from her view. also look out for Stephane's womanising boss Guy who provides a lot of the laughs. That's what i like about characters, they are very rich, almost cartoonish in their stlye and actions that it only adds a depth to the story and helps blur the line and show the strange reality of which Stephane exists in.

That leads me onto the dream scenes. Oh my god, i wish i had seen this at the cinema if only to watch these brilliant animations play out on the big screen. The dream scenes could vary. whether it was small detail like tap water turning into blue and white tissue paper, or on a larger scale such as a whole town in stop motion animation made out of carboard. The animation was a joyful mix of The Clangers, Beatles Yellow submarine and an L. S. Lowry painting. I have decided to include (at very bottom of the review) a clip and trailer to display what i mean by the animation and show how great it is.

It also displays very well the natural problems that arise in forming a relationship and aspects of Staphane's insecurities are well played out in the film. A lot of the funny moments come out of that and the very real interactions between the two. Such as Stephane's nervs causing him to say crude things in relation to Stephanie. Charlotte Gainsbourg who plays Stephanie puts in a brilliant performance here as does Gael García Bernal & Alain Chabat.

All in all, Science of sleep is every bit as endeering and brilliant as Eternal sunshine. Laugh out loud funny, mixed with the tragedies of love and beautiful imagination and animation that goes above and beyond anything in Eternal sunshine. See it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P0jQHUSWgM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GjjYHVj-mw