For many people their first encounter with writer-director Michel Gondry’s seemingly endless, if rather odd, imagination was the widely acclaimed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It illustrated perfectly the way he enjoyed exploring the inner workings of the human mind and soul with his wacky, zany storytelling and seemingly normal yet deeply creative and troubled characters. It sparked people’s imaginations becoming a huge success and claiming fans from far and wide (myself included). Anticipation was therefore high for Gondry’s next film, especially when it was discovered that he had parted ways with Eternal Sunshine’s co-writer Charlie Kaufman. This effectively meant that for the next project, The Science of Sleep, he would be unhinged and free to let the creative juices flow unabated, whether any audience could take it or not.
We follow Gael García Bernal, a young artist, as he arrives in Paris eager to start a new job after the death of his father. His mother has made all of the arrangements but unfortunately working at a pornographic calendar makers is not exactly what the ambitious young man had in mind. It soon becomes clear that he needs a more creative outlet, which he finds, at least in part, in his new next door neighbour Charlotte Gainsbourg who becomes swept up in his hyperactive, childish and sometimes unpredictable fantasies. Bernal is often completely overwhelmed by the outside world and so uses his extensive imagination as a form of wild escapism to shield himself from the events around him. Buoyed on by Gainsbourg seeming acceptance of these erratic flights of fancy Bernal starts to delve ever deeper into his mind and begins to shun the mundane world. With his soul mate by his side Bernal’s desperately tries to hang on to his hopes and dreams, but it is those dreams and ideas, the things that brought them together in the first place, that may ultimately drives them apart.
In many ways The Science of Sleep is the true sequel to Eternal Sunshine simply because it follows the same mind-bending artist style that made the other film so unique. If anything this is even more out-there than Eternal Sunshine, which in itself is quite an achievement. The dream sequences are brilliantly realised and actually benefit from the films low budget. This is, after all, an indie film so cash doesn’t exactly grow on trees. The stop motion animation and creative use of ordinary everyday objects, such as cling film or stuffed animals, fits perfectly into the sometimes chaotic thoughts of Bernal’s character who is normally the centre of attention (it is his imagination after all), with the others providing support. These events are always wildly over-the-top but rarely feel out of place or heavy handed. The “real world” settings are normally just as interesting as well, mainly due to the colourful collection of characters that inhabit it. Obviously, this is most evident when Bernal and Gainsbourg are on screen, particularly in one or other of their apartments because of all of the random junk, which often provides the inspiration for the dreams, but the supporting cast do a valiant job, especially Guy (Alain Chabat) who acts as the blunt (and often obscene) voice of reason.
Ultimately, the Science of Sleep is a glimpse into the mind of a true artistic free-spirit. It is about the dividing line between whimsy and childish immaturity, and shows that from time to time we can all become too wrapped up in our own little world. Bernal finds this out the hard way as his idealistic fantasies get in the way of his work and relationships with his friends and family, making him indecisive, irresponsible and more than a little creepy. What we end up with is a wonderful portrayal of how a balance must be reached in order to grow up; to still have hopes and dreams yet not be dominated by them. There really is a lot to like about this film and if you’re imagination is even half as active as Bernal’s then you will be able to empathise with his situation completely.
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