Woodyanders Review of The Dead Sleep

The Dead Sleep (2010)

An odd and interesting supernatural thriller

[8/10 · 17 October 2011]

Accountant Paul Well (a fine and credible performance by Chris Armstrong) gets killed by his smug jerk corporate bigwig boss Tim (a pleasingly slimy portrayal by Joshua Close) after he embezzles over a million dollars from him. However, Paul's unrestful spirit is forced to rewatch all the mistakes he made in his life and their effects on his family. Paul also tries to stop any further harm from happening to his family. Director Vicki de May, working from a thoughtful and absorbing scripting by James McLean, relates the compellingly offbeat story at a deliberate pace, creates and sustains a nicely spooky atmosphere that becomes more increasingly eerie, unnerving, and mysterious as the story unfolds, and presents a bunch of well-drawn characters who come across as real and believable. Moreover, the plot itself is genuinely unpredictable as the narrative twists and turns towards a truly surprising and satisfying ending. The poignant and provocative central message about the need for closure gives this picture extra substance. Armstrong's sturdy acting holds everything together; he receives sound support from Sarah Foret as Paul's sweet daughter Melanie, Robertt Fente as loyal friend Del Craine, Tatiana Armstrong as Paul's worn-out wife Claire, and Jacintha Charles as an enigmatic one-eyed woman on a buss. Ryan Leach's moody score and Ian S. Takahashi's fairly polished cinematography are both up to speed. Worth a watch.