When we dream, our minds descend into a world that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Though this world is comprised of people and objects that are obviously familiar to us borrowed from love, friendships, relationships, memories, reminisces and the events of our day they are employed in a means that is bizarre and otherworldly. However, our brain switches off the part of itself that deals with logic, and so we blindly accept what we are experiencing; are far as we are concerned, it is real, and it is happening to us at this very moment. But what happens if you find yourself dreaming at any hour of the day, whether you're asleep or not? How can you possibly separate what is real from what is imagined? 'La Science des rêves / The Science of Sleep (2006)' is Michel Gondry's follow-up to 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004),' which was undoubtedly one of the most original and inventive films of the twenty-first century.
Stéphane Miroux (Gael García Bernal) is a creative artist whose talent simply goes to waste in the real world. Though he has some clever ideas for a new calender {a slightly politically-incorrect concept called Disasterology}, he is instead left with the mundane, uninspired duty of gluing squares of paper. It is only when he descends into the world of his dreams that Stéphane truly exercises his abilities, hosting his own talk show in a set constructed of cardboard, in which he discusses his life, his friends and his romances. From a very young age, Stéphane has found it difficult to distinguish his dreams from his realities, and, indeed, such is the banality of his existence that the former threatens to take over completely. Living in the apartment next door is Stéphanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), complementary to Stéphane in so many ways {the similar names are, of course, no coincidence} that, in an ideal world, they would be a couple. Unfortunately, it seems that true life will never be as perfect as our dreams.
Gondry, who began his career producing among the wackiest music videos you'll ever see, has an incredible visual style that is imaginative, innovative and endearing. The special effects were obviously achieved on the cheap created using everyday household objects and stop-motion and yet they blend flawlessly into the subconscious meanders of the main character's dreaming mind. The prominent use of hand-held camera-work, though usually used in cinema to simulate realism, achieves the exact opposite in this film, taking us inside Stéphane's confused and distorted perception of the world about him, where imagination and real-life converge into a single, fantastic environment. Though, through my limited experience, most works of surrealism tend to have a cold detachment about them, 'The Science of Sleep' is a warm and involving tale of love, life and friendship, the frequent and peculiar lapses into fantasy demonstrating the significant role that dreams play in recognising and contemplating the major issues inherent in our daily lifestyles.
Though 'The Science of Sleep' lacks the strong leading performers of 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,' and also perhaps the solid narrative of Charlie Kaufman's script {Michel Gondry penned this one himself}, the film is an excellent self-indulgent exploration of the mind's inner workings {and I use the term "self-indulgent" in its most positive form}. Gael García Bernal is quite good in a complex role, and, though his character is a bit pathetic in the way he interacts with the world, he makes for a very funny and likable protagonist. With all its bizarre occurrences, what makes 'The Science of Sleep' such a warm, personal and inviting experience? Maybe it's because the peculiar world that Stéphane creates for himself isn't as unfamiliar as we had initially expected. Afterall, we visit a similar place every night of our lives.
Stéphane Miroux (Gael García Bernal) is a creative artist whose talent simply goes to waste in the real world. Though he has some clever ideas for a new calender {a slightly politically-incorrect concept called Disasterology}, he is instead left with the mundane, uninspired duty of gluing squares of paper. It is only when he descends into the world of his dreams that Stéphane truly exercises his abilities, hosting his own talk show in a set constructed of cardboard, in which he discusses his life, his friends and his romances. From a very young age, Stéphane has found it difficult to distinguish his dreams from his realities, and, indeed, such is the banality of his existence that the former threatens to take over completely. Living in the apartment next door is Stéphanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), complementary to Stéphane in so many ways {the similar names are, of course, no coincidence} that, in an ideal world, they would be a couple. Unfortunately, it seems that true life will never be as perfect as our dreams.
Gondry, who began his career producing among the wackiest music videos you'll ever see, has an incredible visual style that is imaginative, innovative and endearing. The special effects were obviously achieved on the cheap created using everyday household objects and stop-motion and yet they blend flawlessly into the subconscious meanders of the main character's dreaming mind. The prominent use of hand-held camera-work, though usually used in cinema to simulate realism, achieves the exact opposite in this film, taking us inside Stéphane's confused and distorted perception of the world about him, where imagination and real-life converge into a single, fantastic environment. Though, through my limited experience, most works of surrealism tend to have a cold detachment about them, 'The Science of Sleep' is a warm and involving tale of love, life and friendship, the frequent and peculiar lapses into fantasy demonstrating the significant role that dreams play in recognising and contemplating the major issues inherent in our daily lifestyles.
Though 'The Science of Sleep' lacks the strong leading performers of 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,' and also perhaps the solid narrative of Charlie Kaufman's script {Michel Gondry penned this one himself}, the film is an excellent self-indulgent exploration of the mind's inner workings {and I use the term "self-indulgent" in its most positive form}. Gael García Bernal is quite good in a complex role, and, though his character is a bit pathetic in the way he interacts with the world, he makes for a very funny and likable protagonist. With all its bizarre occurrences, what makes 'The Science of Sleep' such a warm, personal and inviting experience? Maybe it's because the peculiar world that Stéphane creates for himself isn't as unfamiliar as we had initially expected. Afterall, we visit a similar place every night of our lives.