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IMDbPro

The Science of Sleep

Original title: La science des rêves
  • 20062006
  • RR
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
69K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
12,169
561
Charlotte Gainsbourg and Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
Home Video Trailer from Warner Home Video
Play trailer0:32
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyDramaFantasy
A man entranced by his dreams and imagination is love-struck with a French woman and feels he can show her his world.A man entranced by his dreams and imagination is love-struck with a French woman and feels he can show her his world.A man entranced by his dreams and imagination is love-struck with a French woman and feels he can show her his world.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
69K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
12,169
561
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Michel Gondry
    • Writer
      • Michel Gondry
    • Stars
      • Gael García Bernal
      • Charlotte Gainsbourg
      • Miou-Miou
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Michel Gondry
    • Writer
      • Michel Gondry
    • Stars
      • Gael García Bernal
      • Charlotte Gainsbourg
      • Miou-Miou
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 228User reviews
    • 135Critic reviews
    • 70Metascore
    • Awards
      • 7 wins & 9 nominations

    Videos2

    The Science of Sleep
    Trailer 0:32
    The Science of Sleep
    The Science of Sleep
    Trailer 0:32
    The Science of Sleep

    Photos103

    Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Charlotte Gainsbourg, Emma de Caunes, Alain Chabat, and Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Charlotte Gainsbourg and Emma de Caunes in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Alain Chabat and Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Charlotte Gainsbourg and Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Charlotte Gainsbourg and Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Charlotte Gainsbourg and Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Alain Chabat and Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Charlotte Gainsbourg and Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)
    Charlotte Gainsbourg, Emma de Caunes, and Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep (2006)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gael García Bernal
    Gael García Bernal
    • Stéphane Miroux
    Charlotte Gainsbourg
    Charlotte Gainsbourg
    • Stéphanie
    Miou-Miou
    Miou-Miou
    • Christine Miroux
    Alain Chabat
    Alain Chabat
    • Guy
    Pierre Vaneck
    Pierre Vaneck
    • Monsieur Pouchet
    Emma de Caunes
    Emma de Caunes
    • Zoé
    Aurélia Petit
    • Martine
    Sacha Bourdo
    Sacha Bourdo
    • Serge
    Stéphane Metzger
    • Sylvain
    Alain de Moyencourt
    • Gérard
    • (as Decourt Moyen)
    Inigo Lezzi
    • Monsieur Persinnet
    Yvette Petit
    • Ivana
    Jean-Michel Bernard
    Jean-Michel Bernard
    • Piano-playing Policeman
    Eric Mariotto
    • Policeman
    Bertrand Delpierre
    • Présentateur JT
    • Director
      • Michel Gondry
    • Writer
      • Michel Gondry
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      At the 2006 Berlin Film Festival, director Michel Gondry told that the main location of the film is a house where he used to live 15 years ago.
    • Quotes

      Stéphanie: Why me?

      Stephane: Because everyone else is boring. And because you are different.You don't like me,Stèphanie.

    • Alternate versions
      The French DVD edition present a alternate version of the film made of B-roll footage.
    • Connections
      Edited into La science des rêves - Film B (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      If You Rescue Me
      (adaptation from "After Hours")

      Written by Lou Reed

      Adaptation by Jean-Michel Bernard

      (c) Oakfield Avenue Music Ltd / Screen Gems - EMI Music Inc.

      Additional lyrics by Linda Serbu (as Miss Linda Colleen Serbu)

      By permission of EMI Music Publishing France SA

      All rights reserved

    User reviews228

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    An inventive joy with a wicked undertone
    Michel Gondry, the visually creative giant behind some of MTV's most stylistically innovative music videos, and more recently the driving force behind his and script writer extraordinare Charlie Kaufman's brilliant Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, finally makes his solitary debut, choosing to write and direct this surrealist tale of dreams, reality, and the lines some people walk between them. Fans of the visual virtuoso must have been anticipating Gondry's official declaration as auteur for some time, having salivated for a decade now as this French director continually pushed the envelope for lucky musicians.

    I'm sure many saw The Science of Sleep as a proving ground that would help fans see if the eccentric director would be able to parlay all of these visually creative aspects into a more cohesive, cinematic experience. By and large, the dangerously imaginative movie succeeds on it's own, though there are a few discrepancies to note. First, it does feel that much of the way the movie is shot, in particular the scenes which stay most grounded in reality, do mimic a lot of the production values that gave Eternal Sunshine such a realistically detached value to it. Ditto with much of the stream-of-consciousness script, at times heavily emulating the flow Gondry and Kaufman helped pioneer the first time around. The actual plot is decidedly low-key, and for good reason, though at times Gondry does struggle to fill all of his microcosms with relevance. To say these values remain derivative and do not completely complement the whimsically dark storytelling taking place here though, would be to forsake the fantastic and singular joy that the Science of Sleep is.

    Regardless of it's constant French avant-garde noodling, and despite the obvious parallels to Gondry's previous film, Science remains a near-masterwork, punctuated by the intoxicating rhythm of it's perceptive dream sequences, often edited with the most keen of intentions. Whether viewers will stay immersed throughout the fantasy bleed-in will be up to ones subjective threshold, and ones ability to thrive off of the magically deranged pacing that hints at underlying psychological relevance. Gondry's masterful pacing does not disappoint, culminating with the brilliant evolution of the script's supremely playful tone into something much more serious.

    Of course, the sincere material would only be at home when recited by actors of a pure heart, and in this Gondry also excels by casting two leads who do everything they can to involve us in the realist fantasy. Gael García Bernal, always doing well to pick good material, finally slips into an English language role with the ease I would expect, and the luminous yet subdued Charlotte Gainsbourg radiates the earthly kind of magic that this film is all about. People with strict objective agendas stay clear, anyone else who still uses an inkling of their imagination, please dive in. It may not be perfect, but Science is surely one of the most unique and perceptive fantasies to merge with the mass consciousness in years.
    helpful•37
    20
    • oneloveall
    • Feb 4, 2007

    FAQ1

    • What Language Is This Film In?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 29, 2006 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Italy
    • Official site
      • Warner Bros.
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Наука сну
    • Filming locations
      • Chérence, Val-d'Oise, France
    • Production companies
      • Partizan Films
      • Gaumont
      • France 3 Cinéma
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $4,670,644
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $347,925
      • Sep 24, 2006
    • Gross worldwide
      • $15,116,179
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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