Plot: What’s it about?
Stephane (Gael Garcia Bernal) has returned to his childhood home in France, to visit his mother and devote more time to his dreams. He is an artist by trade, but he works for a firm that focuses more on commercial success that creative freedom. The studio works on nudie calendars, not the ideal outlet Stephane seeks for his imagination. As confined as he might be in his job, he has infinite freedom in his dreams. In that world, he is his own boss and his real life boss is a mere homeless man, the calendars replaced by Stephane’s own artwork. His dreams are so vivid, so immersive, that he often can’t tell when he is awake and when he isn’t, so real life and dream life often overlap. He dreams of romance with his mother’s neighbor Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), even if he pursues her friend Zoe (Emma du Caunes). He might be persistent in trying to get Zoe’s number, but his heart belongs to Stephanie, in and out of his dreams. She has a similar free spirited approach to life and while Stephane stumbles in real life, in his dreams he is able to sweep Stephanie off her feet in an instant. But will Stephane continue to live through his dreams, or can he bring his sense of freedom into his real life and turn fantasy into reality?
After a wildly successful career in music videos, Michael Gondry moved to feature films and found some success, though he is still best known for his music videos. The Science of Sleep marks an important turn in film career however, as he seems to have let go of the traditional narrative and returned to the approach found in those music videos. In other words, Gondry has tapped into the magic of those short form videos and brought to the feature length world. The result is unique and innovative, but sure to divide audiences to no end. There is a narrative here, but it takes a backseat to the wonderful visuals and dreamlike atmosphere, so this isn’t your usual cinematic experience. The Science of Sleep is indeed more like a dream or fantasy that a normal movie, an approach that some will embrace and admire for creative reasons, others will bemoan for lack of traditional elements, and still others will just be confused by, but that is to be expected. I do think the freeform nature takes some of the wind out of the story at times, but to restrain the creative stream here would be a mistake. The movie is driven by the performance of Gael Garcia Bernal, a turn in which he falls headlong into the role and is a pleasure to watch. The Science of Sleep is not for everyone, but if you enjoy dreamlike whimsy and wild creative visions, then this is well worth a look.
Video: How does it look?
The Science of Sleep is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The source print is almost pristine and shows minimal grain, which means the visuals come across in sharp and ever impressive form. The colors stream across the screen in vivid hues and no signs of flaws, while flesh tones seem natural and consistent also. No issues in terms of contrast either, as black levels are razor sharp and no visible detail loss is evident. The transfer is also free from compression errors, which means Warner has provided a top notch visual effort.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is basically a dialogue driven movie, but the film also has some limited power at times, which means the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack has to earn its keep. The activity is never intense, so don’t expect thunder from the speakers, but you will notice some added presence at times. Aside from those more driven moments, this is a solid treatment that lets the film have a smooth, natural presence. The dialogue is clean and never muffled, so no vocals are lost in the slightest. The music also adds in some kick from time to time and overall, this is a competent soundtrack that never disappoints. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The audio commentary track here is a total disappointment, despite the presence of Gondry and several key cast members. I don’t speak fluent French, so perhaps some insights can be found when that language is spoken, but the English stretches yield a dull experience. I was more than a little surprised, given the creative wealth of the movie itself, but this track just isn’t worth a spin. A better option is the forty minute featurette The Making of The Science of Sleep, an in depth journey into the process behind the film, going back to the earliest inspirations. This piece has a lot of good information about the concept and how it was realized, as well as details about the production. This disc also includes a second, but brief featurette on the film’s animals, as well as a music video for Rescue Me by Linda Serbu.
