The Science of Sleep ****
Directed by: Michel Gondry
Written by: Michel Gondry
Stars: Gael Garcia Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Directed by: Michel Gondry
Written by: Michel Gondry
Stars: Gael Garcia Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Gondry proves he's not a one-trick (quilted) pony ...
With a script by Charlie Kaufman and stars like Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst and Jim Carrey, music video director Michel Gondry sure chose a great vehicle to cut his feature-film gnashers on. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was a cult hit, a critical success, and topped numerous Film of the Year lists (not to mention students' MySpace pages). The film was by turns uproariously funny, deliciously quirky and genuinely poignant and indie moviegoers the world over waited with baited breath for a follow-up of equal talent and originality.
And it is. In fact, in some ways, it's better. Although the script (penned by Gondry himself) lacks Kaufman's watertight premise or neat storyline, Bernal makes a far more charismatic hero than Carrey, and the dream sequences are intriguing and beautifully rendered.
The story focuses on Bernal's childlike narcoleptic Stephane and his attempts to win the girl (his neighbour Stephanie, played by Gainsbourg). But, like Sunshine, it is much more than a love story: it is really a character piece, as Stephane's reality and his lucid, bizarre dreams become more and more confused. And this is where the film truly succeeds, as Bernal's performance grounds Gondry's impressive, kooky visuals. Always a visceral and natural performer, this is Bernal at his most magnetic, and also his most versatile. He brings an impulsiveness and a frailty to Stephane and is acts convincingly in three languages.
With a script by Charlie Kaufman and stars like Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst and Jim Carrey, music video director Michel Gondry sure chose a great vehicle to cut his feature-film gnashers on. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was a cult hit, a critical success, and topped numerous Film of the Year lists (not to mention students' MySpace pages). The film was by turns uproariously funny, deliciously quirky and genuinely poignant and indie moviegoers the world over waited with baited breath for a follow-up of equal talent and originality.
And it is. In fact, in some ways, it's better. Although the script (penned by Gondry himself) lacks Kaufman's watertight premise or neat storyline, Bernal makes a far more charismatic hero than Carrey, and the dream sequences are intriguing and beautifully rendered.
The story focuses on Bernal's childlike narcoleptic Stephane and his attempts to win the girl (his neighbour Stephanie, played by Gainsbourg). But, like Sunshine, it is much more than a love story: it is really a character piece, as Stephane's reality and his lucid, bizarre dreams become more and more confused. And this is where the film truly succeeds, as Bernal's performance grounds Gondry's impressive, kooky visuals. Always a visceral and natural performer, this is Bernal at his most magnetic, and also his most versatile. He brings an impulsiveness and a frailty to Stephane and is acts convincingly in three languages.
Much has been made of Rhys Ifans' exclusion from the film: he was si
gned on from the very beginning and contributed ideas to the script, even coming up with the title. When he was dropped he (understandably) had some less than savoury remarks to make about the director: "That f**king French c***" was one particularly memorable example. Bernal has brought his own dimensions to the role - the Mexican background, for one - and had it been played by Ifans (or anyone else for that matter), the movie may have lost much of its charm. As it is, the film is smug at times and certainly self-indulgent, and sometimes the romance grates as twee or infuriating, and the ambiguous ending will frustrate many who aren't familiar with European cinema. But Gondry's baby rises above all these qualms and, thanks to its charming star and an energetic supporting cast, its whole is far greater than the sum of its parts.
gned on from the very beginning and contributed ideas to the script, even coming up with the title. When he was dropped he (understandably) had some less than savoury remarks to make about the director: "That f**king French c***" was one particularly memorable example. Bernal has brought his own dimensions to the role - the Mexican background, for one - and had it been played by Ifans (or anyone else for that matter), the movie may have lost much of its charm. As it is, the film is smug at times and certainly self-indulgent, and sometimes the romance grates as twee or infuriating, and the ambiguous ending will frustrate many who aren't familiar with European cinema. But Gondry's baby rises above all these qualms and, thanks to its charming star and an energetic supporting cast, its whole is far greater than the sum of its parts.In short: Naive at times, but a charming and quirky love story anchored by strong performances.
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