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Gondry also excels at handling the complexities of human relationships—something he masterfully proved in Eternal Sunshine, and, too a lesser extent, shows a knack for in The Science of Sleep. There are no big, profound statements here about romance and fidelity, nor is there the huge emotional punch of Sunshine, but it's enough to ensure that the film is more than just an exercise in weirdness. That said, if cinematic weirdness is your bread and butter, The Science of Sleep is a feast for the imagination and a triumph of creativity—the kind of movie that'll lift your spirits and make you think even while it's rotting your teeth.

1. In what ways does the film cause us to think about dreams and reality? How does it blur the distinctions
2. In what ways are Stephane's dreams helpful to him? In what ways are they hurtful
3. Do you think Stephane is a selfish character? Why or why not
4. What might the film be suggesting about the power and importance of imagination?

The Science of Sleep is rated R for language, sexual content, and nudity. The language and sexual content mostly involve some frank discussion of sexuality, including references to oral sex and to various parts of the human anatomy. The nudity includes both male and female, but both instances are brief.

Photos © Copyright Warner Independent

© Josh Hurst 2006, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

Have you ever wished you could play back your dreams and study them? That seems to be what director Michael Gondry has done in The Science of Sleep.

In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the favorite film of Christianity Today's film critics in 2004, Gondry worked with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman to take us into the memory and the subconscious of his characters' minds. Thus, it seems like a natural progression for Gondry to take moviegoers next into a dreamworld. And what a dreamworld he's created.

The Science of Sleep is a romance, full of imagination and whimsy that will have you asking "How did he do that?" even as it charms, bewilders, and alarms you. While the unconventional lives and behaviors of its central characters introduce us to some discomforting and reckless behavior, discerning viewers may find delightful rewards as Gondry guides us through his wonderland.

My full review is at Looking Closer.

Frederica Matthewes-Green (Frederica.com, originally published in The National Review) says her high expectations for the film were "more than fulfilled; the screen is nearly always filled with something playful and delightful to watch, both live action and charmingly old-fashioned stop-motion sequences." She notes, however, that "a couple of inherent problems make the story harder to appreciate than it ought to be."

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) says, "By turns sweet and surreal, the film touches on many of the same themes as Eternal Sunshine, though the net result is less poetic. … [T]he movie's offbeat originality is sabotaged by Gondry's affection for dreamlike images over narrative coherence that ultimately undermines emotional involvement in the story. Overall, The Science of Sleep disappoints, even as it dazzles."

Mainstream critics are happy to be back in Gondry's weird, wild imagination.

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