The Science of Sleep

Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep is a simple story made notable by a wash of innovative images and an endearing protagonist. The plot isn't much: twenty-something Stephane (Bad Education's Gael Garcia Bernal) moves back to Paris for an entry-level position at a calendar publishing house. He falls for his neighbor Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and moons after her for the remainder of the film. Gondry sustains this cellophane-thin plot, however, with incredibly playful visuals. Stephane's story isn't remarkable, but the way Gondry presents it is.

Moving frequently into his subconscious with the cooking/talk show hybrid of Stephane TV, The Science of Sleep ultimately hinges on the appeal of Stephane. Luckily, he's one fun slacker. He has an idea for a disaster themed calendar, and he likes to wear his Dad's old purple suit; he does odd things mostly because he wants to. But somehow, every goofy thing Stephane does winds up endearing. At one point Stephanie comments on the above-average size of Stephane's hands, and he replies, "You know what that means...that my penis is large." The oh shit, why'd I say that" giggle accompanying that bit of dialogue aligns Stephane with any audience member who has ever said something they probably shouldn't have. Bernal's portrayal goes a long way in the characterization of Stephane, making him a man with an inner child that refuses to be silenced. As Stephane's object of affection, Gainsbourg (daughter of French pop auteur Serge) is appropriately hip as pianist Stephanie. She wears sweaters a lot and makes goofy crafts, which apparently makes her the ideal mate for Stephane. Her character is admittedly a little one-dimensional, a flaw easily excused by the heavy subjectivity of the film.


To further endear us to Stephane, Gondry also fleshes out the world around him in excellent imagery. From a city made out of cardboard tubes to a sink filled with cellophane water, the director goes above and beyond his music video work to create Stephane's perception. He bounces back and forth between reality and the inner monologue of Stephane TV, the latter seeming so vastly superior that it's no wonder Stephane feels a bity glum in the real world. The appeal of Stephane TV increases with a groovy soundtrack which reminds the audience of Gondry's best videos.

The Science of Sleep is by no means an epic movie, but it's quite good considering the type of film it is. Gondry does a fine job of expressing the situation of directionless and smitten Stephane, making Science of Sleep the ideal movie for anyone unsure about their future and not particularly eager to figure things out.

- Abby Stotz

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See Also: Make your own Gondry homage.