Rating: 
Summary: The Film Gives Good Atmosphere, But Lacks in Story
Review: "Chasing Sleep" is titled in France as "Insomnies" and that fact will let you know enough what the film is all about. But unlike the Norwegian thriller (and its Hollywood remake) of the same name, "Chasing Sleep" is less like a thriller than a character study even though there is elements of thriller in it. Perhaps it is this mislead expectations of mine that made me feel disappointed at the film.The film follows the central character, Jeff Daniel's Ed Saxon, whose life heavily suffers from insomnia which started when he finds his wife is missing. Ed is waiting for her at home all through the night, but as he waits we notice something is wrong with his house -- strange noise behind the wall, unfamiliar voice, and more and more weird and unnerving occasions. Ed is certain something must have happened to her -- but soon we realize that it is Ed that is really falling apart. The idea is good, and the camera successfully keeps on conveying the creepy atomosphere of Ed's house, but the lack of fenesse in keeping us interested is too apparent on the side of director Michael Walker, who says the film is partly based on his personal experience. To his credit, the strange feelings you get when you stay up late till dawn are convincingly created, and the acting of Jeff Daniels, who usually is forced to play the supporting roles as in "Speed," shows his gift as a talented actor, becoming the character Ed himself. But the question is, sorry to say like this, but, why should we care? The film doesn't hold our (or my) attention long, because the film goes nowhere (everything happens all in Ed's house, and this setting is too high a hurdle to clear). While we don't know what happened to Ed's wife, the film tries to project Ed's lost dreams in the past and his regret onto the screen through the events that are slowly revealed in the film, but by the time we come to know Ed's personality, we know the film offers nothing new to find in the film. Emliy Bergl ("Carrie 2") and Gil Bellows ("Ally McBeal") both give good support, but their precious help is hardly enough to keep the ball rolling. There are truely intense and creepy moments in the film, including a certain moving finger, but the overall results really disappointed me. As some of the previous reviewers say, we have already films dealing with similar themes by a better hand of David Lynch, whose more confident vision for the macabre and weird is sadly missing here.
Rating:
Summary: The Film Gives Good Atmosphere, But Lacks in Story
Review: "Chasing Sleep" is titled in France as "Insomnies" and that fact will let you know enough what the film is all about. But unlike the Norwegian thriller (and its Hollywood remake) of the same name, "Chasing Sleep" is less like a thriller than a character study even though there is elements of thriller in it. Perhaps it is this mislead expectations of mine that made me feel disappointed at the film. The film follows the central character, Jeff Daniel's Ed Saxon, whose life heavily suffers from insomnia which started when he finds his wife is missing. Ed is waiting for her at home all through the night, but as he waits we notice something is wrong with his house -- strange noise behind the wall, unfamiliar voice, and more and more weird and unnerving occasions. Ed is certain something must have happened to her -- but soon we realize that it is Ed that is really falling apart. The idea is good, and the camera successfully keeps on conveying the creepy atomosphere of Ed's house, but the lack of fenesse in keeping us interested is too apparent on the side of director Michael Walker, who says the film is partly based on his personal experience. To his credit, the strange feelings you get when you stay up late till dawn are convincingly created, and the acting of Jeff Daniels, who usually is forced to play the supporting roles as in "Speed," shows his gift as a talented actor, becoming the character Ed himself. But the question is, sorry to say like this, but, why should we care? The film doesn't hold our (or my) attention long, because the film goes nowhere (everything happens all in Ed's house, and this setting is too high a hurdle to clear). While we don't know what happened to Ed's wife, the film tries to project Ed's lost dreams in the past and his regret onto the screen through the events that are slowly revealed in the film, but by the time we come to know Ed's personality, we know the film offers nothing new to find in the film. Emliy Bergl ("Carrie 2") and Gil Bellows ("Ally McBeal") both give good support, but their precious help is hardly enough to keep the ball rolling. There are truely intense and creepy moments in the film, including a certain moving finger, but the overall results really disappointed me. As some of the previous reviewers say, we have already films dealing with similar themes by a better hand of David Lynch, whose more confident vision for the macabre and weird is sadly missing here.
Rating:
Summary: The Film Gives Good Atmosphere, But Lacks in Story
Review: "Chasing Sleep" is titled in France as "Insomnies" and that fact will let you know enough what the film is all about. But unlike the Norwegian thriller (and its Hollywood remake) of the same name, "Chasing Sleep" is less like a thriller than a character study even though there is elements of thriller in it. Perhaps it is this mislead expectations of mine that made me feel disappointed at the film. The film follows the central character, Jeff Daniel's Ed Saxon, whose life heavily suffers from insomnia which started when he finds his wife is missing. Ed is waiting for her at home all through the night, but as he waits we notice something is wrong with his house -- strange noise behind the wall, unfamiliar voice, and more and more weird and unnerving occasions. Ed is certain something must have happened to her -- but soon we realize that it is Ed that is really falling apart. The idea is good, and the camera successfully keeps on conveying the creepy atomosphere of Ed's house, but the lack of fenesse in keeping us interested is too apparent on the side of director Michael Walker, who says the film is partly based on his personal experience. To his credit, the strange feelings you get when you stay up late till dawn are convincingly created, and the acting of Jeff Daniels, who usually is forced to play the supporting roles as in "Speed," shows his gift as a talented actor, becoming the character Ed himself. But the question is, sorry to say like this, but, why should we care? The film doesn't hold our (or my) attention long, because the film goes nowhere (everything happens all in Ed's house, and this setting is too high a hurdle to clear). While we don't know what happened to Ed's wife, the film tries to project Ed's lost dreams in the past and his regret onto the screen through the events that are slowly revealed in the film, but by the time we come to know Ed's personality, we know the film offers nothing new to find in the film. Emliy Bergl ("Carrie 2") and Gil Bellows ("Ally McBeal") both give good support, but their precious help is hardly enough to keep the ball rolling. There are truely intense and creepy moments in the film, including a certain moving finger, but the overall results really disappointed me. As some of the previous reviewers say, we have already films dealing with similar themes by a better hand of David Lynch, whose more confident vision for the macabre and weird is sadly missing here.
Rating: 
Summary: Counting Sheep
Review: A huge disappointment. I've read all the reviews and I have to wonder if I watched the same movie that everyone else did. I love Jeff Daniels and think that he is a talented actor. I am also a fan of up and coming Julian McMahon. All I can say is that their talent is wasted. If you wanted a David Lynch ..., don't waste your time - why not go to the master himself and rent Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive. As for horror, the Evil Dead series is by far the best in low budget fun, Bruce Campbell's lopped off hand by far excedes the inchworm effect of Daniel's finger. I found myself having a hard time staying awake during this movie and in fact was counting sheep.
Rating: 
Summary: horror of implosion
Review: claustrophobic and introspective perception of reality leaves the viewer unsure of what's really taking place...nothing like it except maybe 'the element of crime' or 'angel heart'....is this a view of the present, past or future? is it all an experiment or is it real? whatever it is, it will take you in like water down a drain...
Rating:
Summary: Poor Jeff Daniels
Review: couldnt save this stinker. Attempts to be surreal and perverse and succeeds at neither. You wait the whole movie for a tie up to answer some questions, and you get nothing. Daniels is a professor whose wife never comes home, and you spend the movie wondering if he made her disappear or not. I won't spoil it for those who won't heed my warning.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting flick
Review: Good psychological thriller. If you're a fan of David Lynch you might find something to like here, but Lynch does it way better. Watching this movie for the first time is the best, I must say it did blow my mind somewhat. Worth checking out if you like these type of movies, but you might be better off watching "Lost Highway" instead.
Rating:
Summary: surprising horror flick
Review: I read the other reviews who gave it one and two stars, and I have to wonder what movie it was exactly that they were watching; the film is about Jeff Daniels whose wife doesn't come home one night, and who then begins to very slowly loose his mind. The film has very good acting with scene's that made me squirm in my seat (which is quite unlike me), not from gore or horror but more from watching Jeff Daniels character slowly degredate. About 30 minutes into the movie you begin to think you know exactly where it is headed and what kind of movie it will be. Well, you probably will have a fair idea as to the outcome of the movie (which some may find disappointing - granted) but the movie is guaranteed to constantly surprise you as it consistantly gets stranger and stranger. All-in-all its a very good movie and deserves a once over by anyone in the least bit interested. (For anywho have scene it -this is what the Attic Expedition should have been like.)
Rating:
Summary: A Shockingly Twisted Lynchian Thriller
Review: If you're expecting a typical thriller upon viewing Chasing Sleep, you're going to be extremely surprised by this powerful work. When I first saw Chasing Sleep during a recent visit to France, I was blown away. Weaving a complex story with sparse dialogue and fantastic cinematography, the film is like a David Lynch work filtered through a less frenetic David Fincher lens. The film, which starts with the simple premise that a man can't fall asleep after his wife fails to return from work one day, combines numerous genre elements with great success. It ranges from realistic drama to surreal science fiction, with some horror, thriller, and action jimmies thrown in. The talent behind this film is amazing. The highly underrated Jeff Daniels plays the central character, Ed Saxon, a discombobulated college professor whose life is falling apart at the same rate as his house. He brings a silent force to his character that leaves the viewer unclear as to his true state of mind and motives. Director Michael Walker forges a world unlike any other captured on film, using cold colors and shadows to paint a depressing portrait of self-imposed exile. The directory of photography allows powerful images to linger on the screen just long enough to be burned into your memory. No other film that I have seen has spawned as much post-viewing conversation as Chasing Sleep. The details of the events that transpire during the course of the story allow an immense amount of personal interpretation, and fuels speculation as to what Bridges' Saxon really was capable of. The fact that this film was never given a theatrical release in the US certainly sours my perspective of American taste in film.
Rating:
Summary: A big surprise
Review: Showtime really did me in - I didn't realize this was their idea of a halloween movie flick! I didn't mean to watch it, but the movie guide called it a 'suspense' and I kept waiting for tell-tale suspense stuff I guess. When it didn't happen, I found myself standing in front of the TV before I finally realized I could sit and watch. After a bit it was so intense I could barely watch. A perfect halloween night movie.
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