The Science of Sleep Movie Review by Ryan A. Loera

Stars:
Gael Garcia Bernal - Stephane Miroux
Charlotte Gainsbourg - Stephanie
Emma de Caunes - Zoe

Director: Michel Gondry
Screenplay: Michel Gondry
Release Date: September 22, 2006
Genre: Fantasy/Drama
Rated R

Dreams and reality become one in The Science of Sleep.

Stephane Miroux (Gael Garcia Bernal) reluctantly moves back into his mother's French apartment while she is away on business. He is promised a job as an illustrator at a calendar producing company. Of course, the job turns out to be more monotonous than he was led to believe.

Upon returning from his first day at work, he notices some movers moving a piano up to the apartment of a new tenant. They struggle to lift the piano up the curved staircase.

Stephane then attempts to help them but as soon as he grabs one end of the piano one of the movers loses his grip. Stephane's hand is then crushed by the piano.

His new neighbor, Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), then appears and scolds the movers for losing their grip. Luckily, Stephane's hand is not broken. But it is bruised.

Stephanie then invites him into her apartment so she can render first aid. She also introduces him to her friend Zoe (Emma de Caunes). Stephane is immediately attracted to Zoe and attempts to impress her with one of his "inventions".

In addition to being an illustrator he considers himself to be an inventor. His inventions include, but are not limited to, 3D reality glasses, a mind reading helmet and a time travel device that only allows the user to travel back one second into the past.

He eventually gives up on pursuing Zoe but he also struggles to accept the notion of having any kind of romantic relationship with Stephanie.

In between all of this, Stephane frequently retreats into his own dream world. These are the scenes that are the most vivid and elaborately designed.
Stephane's dreams have a very child-like quality to them.

Unfortunately, he often has trouble differentiating his dreams from reality. It seems to be the main source of his frustration and inspiration.

I've yet to see another movie with the same look and feel as The Science of Sleep.

On a scale of 1 tamale to 10 tamales I give The Science of Sleep 8 delicious tamales!

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