Waking Life (2001)

A man shuffles through a dream meeting various people and discussing the meanings and purposes of the universe.

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writer:

Richard Linklater

Stars:

Ethan Hawke, Trevor Jack Brooks, Lorelei Linklater

5 wins & 20 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Trevor Jack Brooks	...	Young Boy Playing Paper Game
Lorelei Linklater	...	Young Girl Playing Paper Game
Wiley Wiggins	...	Main Character
Glover Gill	...	Accordion Player
Lara Hicks	...	Violin Player
Ames Asbell	...	Viola Player
Leigh Mahoney	...	Viola Player
Sara Nelson	...	Cello Player
Jeanine Attaway	...	Piano Player
Erik Grostic	...	Bass Player
Bill Wise	...	Boat Car Guy
Robert C. Solomon	...	Philosophy Professor
Kim Krizan	...	Herself
Eamonn Healy	...	Shape-Shifting Man
J.C. Shakespeare	...	Burning Man

Storyline

Dreams. What are they? An escape from reality or reality itself? Waking Life follows the dream(s) of one man and his attempt to find and discern the absolute difference between waking life and the dreamworld. While trying to figure out a way to wake up, he runs into many people on his way; some of which offer one sentence asides on life, others delving deeply into existential questions and life's mysteries. We become the main character. It becomes our dream and our questions being asked and answered. Can we control our dreams? What are they telling us about life? About death? About ourselves and where we come from and where we are going? The film does not answer all these for us. Instead, it inspires us to ask the questions and find the answers ourselves.

---

Plot Keywords:

philosophy | lucid dreams | ukulele | watching television | lucid dreaming | 

---

Genres:

Animation | Drama | Fantasy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violent images

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 March 2002 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Acordar para a Vida

Filming Locations:

Texas, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$88,977, 21 October 2001

Gross USA:

$2,901,447

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,176,880

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Independent Film Channel (IFC), Thousand Words

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the main character gets off the train at the beginning of the movie, the name of the railroad service is shown to be "Dreamtrak" rather than "Amtrak".

---

Quotes

Pinball Playing Man: And that's what time is. That's what all of history is, this kind of continuous, you know, daydream or distraction. And so I read that, and I was like, 'Well, that's weird.' And then that night, I had a dream, and there was this guy in the dream who was supposed to be a psychic. But I was skeptical. I was like, 'He's not really a psychic' I was just thinking to myself. And then suddenly, I start floating, like levitating up to the ceiling. And as I almost go through the roof, I'm like, 'OK, Mr....
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

The end credits are all rendered in moving, squirming letters.

---

Connections

References Snack and Drink (2000)

---

Soundtracks

Nocturna
Performed by Glovertango
Written by Julián Plaza (as Julian Plaza)
Courtesy of Warner Chappell Music Inc.

User Reviews

Wonderful

Waking Life is an amazing, visual, and completely original work of art from filmmaker Richard Linklater. It is not only one of the very best films to be released in 2001, but also one of the most thought provoking films I've ever seen. Watching it is an amazing experience in itself. Its visual style is stunning. Digital animation is put over live action actors in a style that every scene is like some kind of a post-modern painting that you would see in an art gallery. The story follows a young man by the name of Wiley Wiggins and his encounters with many interesting people. He listens to their thoughts and theories, but doesn't really understand why. He is in an on-going lucid dream that takes him to odd, but fascinating encounters with people and places. I absolutely loved this film. It is one of those rare films that takes you away from your seat and into a world that you are placed right in the middle of and when it ends, the only thing you can say is, `Wow!'