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The Science of Sleep

Play trailer Poster for The Science of Sleep R,  2006,  1h 45m,  Comedy/ Drama/ Fantasy/ Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 71% 161 Reviews Tomatometer 81% 100,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
71% Tomatometer 161 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Soon after the death of his father, a distraught young man begins a job as a graphic designer, but has little chance to create. His intense dreams begin to overtake his waking life, and he becomes increasingly caught up in flights of fancy. His hyperactive imagination then begins to interfere with his courtship of a pretty neighbor.
The Science of Sleep

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Lovely and diffuse, Sleep isn't as immediately absorbing as Gondry's previous work, but its messy beauty is its own reward.

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Critics Reviews

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Brian Tallerico UGO Mar 24, 2007
A creative, original work by a filmmaker with a fantastic visual flair who refuses to stick to any typical cinematic patterns, even if it's sometimes to a fault. Go to Full Review
Wendy Ide The Times (UK) Feb 16, 2007
3/5
Gondry always manages to maintain a childlike wonder in the magic of creating a moving image, and never is it more evident than in this film. Go to Full Review
Nick Curtis London Evening Standard Feb 16, 2007
2/5
It's all lovely to look at, but becomes progressively wearisome. Go to Full Review
Rosa Parra Latinx Lens Aug 15, 2021
3/5
A bold film that's elevated because of Bernal's unexpected stellar performance. Go to Full Review
Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Sep 22, 2020
3.5/4.0
I dare say that years from now The Science of Sleep will be seen as a daring, bold and visionary film. Go to Full Review
David Lamble Bay Area Reporter May 12, 2020
Science of Sleep is almost overstuffed with visual delights. If you can sit through it once, you may get hooked and have to drag yourself away from the theatre, the way Stephane has to drag himself out of bed. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Leia R Nov 25, 2017 Poignant insight into your mind my love
Theodore S Oct 30, 2017 Reviewed 10.12.17. Michel Gondry has left his innovative mark on cinema, and that's not hyperbole. At the same time, I find myself let down by his inability to recapture the magic of his first (and only) great film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He's basically the hipster version of M. Night Shyamalan. His movies, like this one, are always visually innovative, even inspirational in their creativity. But he struggles to weave together his disparate tones. And although I can appreciate non-linear story lines, the disjointed delivery should serve a narrative purpose. But often it feels the plot is simply incomplete; flimsy; almost secondary to the images themselves. The Science of Sleep's central trope is clever, and it elicits both humorous and charming moments. Regrettably though they wane in the third act, with the transition of Stephane (Gael Garcia Bernal) from childlike to immature. The proceedings mope across the finish line, whereas Eternal Sunshine soared. Here's hoping Gondry has a second classic in him. See more
Harry S Jan 4, 2017 If you like bohemian and surreal, you might like this....it wasn't for me though.
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The Science of Sleep

My Rating

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Paris, je t'aime 85% 84% Paris, je t'aime Watchlist This Film Is Not Yet Rated 84% 81% This Film Is Not Yet Rated Watchlist Watermarks 96% 94% Watermarks Watchlist The Aggressives 89% 77% The Aggressives Watchlist Lost Boys of Sudan 98% 83% Lost Boys of Sudan Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Soon after the death of his father, a distraught young man begins a job as a graphic designer, but has little chance to create. His intense dreams begin to overtake his waking life, and he becomes increasingly caught up in flights of fancy. His hyperactive imagination then begins to interfere with his courtship of a pretty neighbor.
Director
Michel Gondry
Producer
Georges Bermann, Michel Gondry, Frederic Junqua
Screenwriter
Michel Gondry
Distributor
Warner Independent
Production Co
Gaumont, France 3 Cinéma, Partizan
Rating
R (Nudity|Language|Some Sexual Content)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 22, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 2, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.7M
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital, DTS
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