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PLOT: A young artist struggles to separate his vivid dreams from his waking life. Later, he falls in love with his neighbour. Lots of pretty visuals full of child-like wonder and whimsy, and boy, do they wear thin fast.
The Science Of Sleep is a collection of lovely little moments and inspired effects with not much holding them together.
The romantic comedy is about a young artist named Stephane (Gael Garcia Bernal) who often gets confused between his vivid dreams and reality. His rich fantasy life allows him to be the host of Stephane TV, working in an imaginary studio where he watches his own life unfold.
At the start of The Science Of Sleep, Stephane is in the studio mixing up the ingredients of dreams: Thoughts, memories, notions of love, items from the waking day. It's charming.
Stephane has returned to Paris to live following the death of his father. His mother has lured him back with the promise of a good job, but instead of a place where he can use his artistic talents, his job turns out to be a paste-up position at a calendar company. His co-workers are the source of much humour.
Stephane helps move a piano when two young women turn up next door. He finds one of them very attractive, but it's the other one who is his new neighbour. She is Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg).
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So begins a long and complicated romantic dance between Stephane and Stephanie.
In addition to floating between technicolour dreams and regular life, Stephane works on inventions, such as 3D glasses for life and mind-reading helmets. So adorable.
On her side, Stephanie creates clever and endearing cloth art and felt sculptures. Stephane and Stephanie -- the names alone! The film shows how they mirror each other in their sensitivity and their artistic leanings! Really, The Science Of Sleep reaches a level of preciousness that would bring out the homicidal urges in a monk.
Perhaps to be on the safe side, the filmmaker tosses in a bit on insanity and obsession on Stephane's part near the end of the film; the course of true love never did run smooth, and all that. Yawn.
BOTTOM LINE: Michel Gondry intends to make a sequel to this film called The Science Of Staying Awake At Pretentious Twaddle, starring even more French people. Oh, calm down.
(This film is rated 14-A)