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As much as I love “Eternal Sunshine”, it seems like the more I watch “science of sleep”, the more I start to think this MIGHT be Michel Gondry’s best film so far. Even though the movie has a lot of fantasy and somewhat surreal moments, he still manages to hit the nail on the head when it comes to the awkwardness and embarrassing moments between two people who like each other (well, I think so). So it’s kinda like the best of both worlds. It shows a little bit of realism when it comes to male/female relationships, but it also has a fantasy angle to it. The supporting cast is great, especially the actor who plays “Guy”. I had never seen him in a movie before science of sleep, but he is one subtly funny mother fucker. There’s just so many little things he does in that movie that crack me up, that I think people miss. For example, pay attention to “guy” during the scene when it’s Stephan’s first day of work. Everything he does is hilarious. And speaking of the rest of the supporting cast, why do I have a crush on charlotte gainsbourg? There’s something about her swagger that makes her attractive. …I dunno. Plus, “science of sleep” doesn’t star Jim Carrey or Kirsten Dunst. This movie is the reason I was so disappointed in “be kind rewind”. It seemed like with each movie, Gondry was getting more and more mature, and then he goes and makes this corny, predictable movie. Sometimes, “be kind rewind” didn’t even seem like a Michel Gondry movie. I just hope the style in Gondry’s next movie leans more towards the style of eternal sunshine/science of sleep and less towards be kind rewind. And is it just me, or is it time for Gael Garcia Bernal (the main character) to show us something. I’m starting to think that he’s just been lucky with all of the movies he happens to be in (”tu mama tambien”, “bad education”, “motorcycle diaries”, “babel”, etc). I have yet to see him give a really memorable performance.

I like this film then I dislike this film then I like this film… I go around in circles trying to make up my mind and I think it feels like it was a dream, some parts are stupid and some parts are beautiful, but I’m not sad about the whole experience because it was an interesting world with interesting visuals. Now that is is over I can say it was a nice dream and maybe I will have it again another time but not everynight.

A beautiful gem of a film. The imagination on display in the dream sequences is inspiring: from cut-out cardboard cities to patchwork toy horses gallaping around fields. There’s a gentle humour running through it and Bernal & Gainsbourg have great chemistry onscreen. It may not have the emotional weight and gravity behind it that eternal sunshine had but it is just so unique and magical. Michel Gondry is a true visual genius.

Gondry finalmente hace su pelicula mas “gondryniana”, si es que un término de esas caractéristicas existe, cosa que yo creo muy fáctible. Porque desligado de la sombría escritura de Charlie Kauffman, Gondry le da rienda suelta su imaginario y lo que logra es algo asi como un video suyo, pero de noventa minutos y con un relato que se puede seguir, se puede contar, se puede estructurar. Y lamentablemente debo decir que Gondry funciona mejor en pareja. Si bien la pelicula no está del todo mal, y de hecho resulta encantandor ver como Gondry utliza el cine como un juego, con un cierto encanto inocente que hace que el filme tenga momentos supremos, la cosa es que se va para cualquier lado. Tanto jugueteo hace estrellar a la pelicula, y el tipo se olvida de que esta narrando algo, de que nos esta contando una hisotria, que esto no es algo que se queda para él, es algo que muestra. Y aunque a veces no me molesta el ego de algunos directores, esta vez si me paso, y todavia no se si eso es algo bueno, malo. Tampoco que haya tanto que pensar: es Gondry haciendo la pelicula que siempre quiso y que le sale bien, mal, no se. Mejor vayamos a soñar. Que estoy escribiendo esto desde mi insomnio.

I think the key to liking this movie is needing to be able to relate to Stephane. It seems that people who don’t relate to him, hate the movie. I loved it, Bernal’s character is so realistic and obviously Gondry. Its a deeply emotional and tragic film, especially when you take into consideration that most of this happened to Gondry. I don’t think people should dismiss this as standard indie, sundance trash as its absolutly not.

Michel Gondry’s first foray into that of solo writer/director has finally been released outside the festival circuit. The Science of Sleep was created without the help of writing collaborator Charlie Kaufmann whose scripts for Human Nature and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind were brought to the screen by the visual prowess of Gondry. There is a void apparent as the story is not as tight and coherent, (if you can call a Kaufmann script either), as his past work. This is not a detriment to the finished product however. Gondry has delved deep into his subconscious and deeply hidden emotions to create a magical journey between reality and dream as two people come together and start a relationship as awkward as all are in real life. His secrets and embarrassing memories are lyrically woven together into a mesmerizing piece of visual poetry that can only have come from the mind of a true dreamer.

The Science of Sleep will not be for everyone. While true to life and relatable for many kindred spirits, the film is not accessible to those not willing to take the trip into fantasy. We are shown a blurring of the line for what is real at every instance, switching between three languages, live-actors, animation, and a combining of all these elements at one time. Anyone who has seen Gondry’s work with music videos, (I highly recommend his volume included in the Director’s Series put out by himself and friends Spike Jonze and Chris Cunningham as all seven volumes show remarkable artistic work), will be familiar with the otherworldly effects used here. Everything is done by hand, meticulously animated and spliced in through camera tricks or blue screen backdrops. Gondry had poured his heart onscreen and while history shows many cinematic attempts at this fail, becoming pretentious headtrips, this film hits home with its’ melding of comedy and drama, laughter and heartbreak.

Much credit needs to go to actors Gael Garcia Bernal, (always wonderful, I’m highly anticipating how he is utilized in Iñárritu’s Babel) and Charlotte Gainsbourg, (radiant and wonderful as she was in 21 Grams, coincidentally by Iñárritu). Gondry has trusted them with his soul and they have trusted the material in turn. Where at many times the movie could have turned its absurdity to unacceptable lengths, these two bring it back and ground it with truly heartwrenching emotion. Bernal’s Stéphane can’t seem to delineate between reality and dream, causing instances of truth to be spoken accidentally and times of paranoia and low self-worth to cause chaos in situations that are actually working. Gainsbourg’s Stéphanie also has a sense of duplicity, being a woman who cannot allow someone she loves close enough to let him hurt her, so in turn she hurts him and her both. These two are meant for each other, but it can never work outside of a dream. Stéphane is a child who’s emotions flip at a second’s turn and Stéphanie is a stubborn girl who can’t realize she is leading others on by showing her affection but shutting down when it is returned. When she is in Bernal’s head apologizing for what her real-life counterpart has done, it is heart-breaking because you realize she truly doesn’t know what she is doing him. Likewise, when he turns on her for incidents he has manifested in his mind, it shows on her face the hurt of finally opening to him, but too late.

Mention needs to be made for Alain Chabat, as his comic relief is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise solemn reality. He knows how a relationship of this kind will end, but he tries to help his friend through it, in order for him to see for himself. Also, Gondry has outdone himself with his animations. The craft undertaken is amazing; worlds are made from cardboard tubes, liquids from cellophane bits, and reality from knitted fabric. He has truly put his stamp on this film creatively, physically, and spiritually. Love is a complicated entity that sometimes needs more than love itself. People cross in life for a moment of utter happiness, which can turn to pain quickly from one’s inability to allow themselves that joy. The Science of Sleep is a film that will stay with you and make you think of the moments you let slip by. The final frame leaves a hope for the future and a knowledge that a love can be revisited in memory; it can’t be taken from you no matter what.

This movie in my humble opinion was a tarnish on the career of a fantastic artist. I was very excited to view this film because I adored Eternal Sunshine, loved the cast and had previously heard excellent reviews from friends. After viewing Mr. Gondry’s work I left the theatre annoyed wishing I hadn’t wasted my money. I didn’t find it cute, endearing, sentimental, or romantic. I found the characters to be completely transparent and failed to involve myself with the story’s attempted melodrama.

I personally think that Michel Gondry should stick to directing and let others write the script. This movie had everything going for it and unfortunately failed to amuse me in the least little bit.

‘The Science of Sleep’ is a stream-of-consciousness kaleidoscope of broken love and youthful longing. Michel Gondry has taken a few pages from his heartbroken diaries and brought them to the screen. I wouldn’t doubt it. The love here is woven from thrift store fabric, it’s falling apart before it even begins and as far as the film is concerned there may be no beginning or end. This time Charlie Kaufman isn’t penning a Gondry movie and I think that’s what makes this so good. This is the work of a true auteur, it’s a conversation between Michel Gondry and us, a straightforward talk without convention or restraint. (Not that Kaufman isn’t an artist himself)

Gael Garcia Bernal plays Stephane, a creative graphic artist that returns to Paris from Mexico to stay with his mother (Miou-Miou) after his father’s death. Stephane runs into a romance with Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsborough), his timid neighbour, and her best friend Zoe (Emma de Caunes). Falling first for Zoe, he is rejected and then detours into troublesome infatuation with Stephanie. Stephane isn’t in the best situation at work either since his mother had promised him a job as an artist at a calendar company and instead he got a simple nine to fiver. There he meets Guy who is played wonderfully by Alain Chabat. Guy is a lovable bully who enjoys stuffing co-workers down trashcans and yet manages to offer Stephane spots of advice.

Stephane’s misadventures with friends and relationships brings memories of Godard’s equally disjointed and liveley ‘Masculin Feminin’. With this movie Gael Garcia Bernal has become the new Jean-Pierre Leaud. Stephane’s pathology and awkwardness is equally balanced with Bernal’s charm and romantic whim, not unlike Leaud did with ’Feminin’s’ Paul . Stephane may be a wreck but we can’t help but sympathize with him. The guy sleeps in his childhood bedroom with gadgets, toys, and crafts. It’s so adorable.

The love story has been seen before, guy wants girl but girl doesn’t want him so guy chases after her. What story hasn’t right? But I really liked the way it was told here, the disappointments and fuck ups were really authentic. I don’t want to cite any specific scenes because it would spoil the surprises the movie has in store. I can just say that the way the dreams and real events are coordinated is fantastic. Okay, there’s a scene where Stephane takes Stephanie’s stuffed animal and gives it some repairs. In his dreams Stephane runs a t.v. show called (what else?) Stephane TV, on his show he has Stephanie act out the events that will happen when she sees her new toy. She reacts bitterly, she didn’t like what he did to her toy. Stephane tells her not to do that, to act happy and grateful. Stephanie does so and he mutters, “Don’t do that either, don’t give me hope.” I had a complete “I do that in my head too!” moment. Okay, I’m going off the film review format here but fuck it I can’t review this movie any other way. I like it too much.

It’s as if Gondry made a movie about my heart and many other hearts out there. Stephane’s character was so close to me that it was like viewing myself through a looking glass. The way dreams and ideas float around his head are they way they float in mine. Jesus tap-dancing christ, I know that’s how all our minds work. Perhaps not so paper-maché or stop motion-y but damn near close.

The movie turned out to be my “The Graduate”, it really gets the pop angst mindset of the kids like me. It’s like prog rock cinema in the way the rhythms are so wild and eccentric and flavorful! Hell I don’t care if any of you don’t like it. The ads say it nicely, “Michel Gondry invites you into his dreams”. It may be a bad move as a commercial filmmaker to make a film that’s so abstract and bizarre. But it’s a great leap for Michel as an artist. One dude can really hate it but then some dudette might love the music and images and relate to the story so much that it changes her life. Goddamn, that’s cinema! That’s art man!

Seriously, the poetry of Michel Gondry’s visuals will have you smiling all the way through. Gondry made a really sweet movie and his inventiveness never ceases to amaze. If you like his music videos, then you’ll like this a lot if not more. Stephane’s imagination is wonderful but the lesson here is that sometimes dreams can be taken too far and that perhaps not growing up just a bit can damage yourself and others. So you might leave Gondry’s world a little sad. Hey, all the best love stories end with sadness don’t they? It’s like this, you’re looking through a box and you find a raggedy picture of a young boy and a tricycle. This picture reminds you of your childhood with all the heartache and joy at once. It’s as if you were the boy in that picture, it has tapped into your youth and your soul. That’s what this movie does.