The Science of Sleep

This is a sometimes remarkable movie about a confused man (Gael Garcia Bernal, in a terrific performance) who might love his neighbor (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and wants to create things but can’t really figure out what the hell he’s doing. This wondrous movie from director (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) is one of the more profound films about spiritual and artistic yearning to come along in awhile, and it has the potential to knock you for a loop. Remember that part in Eternal where Jim Carrey became a child hiding under the kitchen table? Remember how trippy that was? This film is that sort of trippy for its whole running time. The effect is sometimes disorienting, but when Gondry hits the mark on topics of occupation, love, relationships and art, he’s nothing short of brilliant. He’s one of the more reliable directors out there right now.