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THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP Michel Gondry previously helmed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, yet his latest picture (which he both wrote and directed) is so out there that it makes that Charlie Kaufman-penned movie seem as streamlined as Bambi by comparison. This often delightful oddity stars Y Tu Mama Tambien's Gael Garcia Bernal as Stephane, a young man who moves from Mexico to Paris and lands a dull job working at a calendar publishing firm. Stephane has a hard time keeping his waking life separate from his dream state, which causes all manner of complications both professionally and personally, the latter mainly built around trying to forge a relationship with across-the-hall neighbor Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg). The film employs deliberately rudimentary effects and slipshod animation to convey Stephane's REM visions, yet it also posits the character as a childlike individual whose inability to cope with adult emotions balances him precariously on the line between untainted innocence and troublesome obsession. It's a shame the movie pulls back from examining this angle -- a sense of danger would have completed the package -- but at it stands, it's still a marvel of wide-eyed whimsy.
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OPENS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20:
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS: Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach.
FLICKA: Alison Lohman, Maria Bello.
KEEPING MUM: Kristen Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith.
MARIE ANTOINETTE: Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS 3-D: Animated; voices of Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon.
THE PRESTIGE: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale.
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