Sleepwalk

Saw this on the IFC. Great effort for first time director James Savoca. The look of the film is terrific and the acting superb. Definitely check this one out. If you like John Cassavetes' films, you'll like this one. If you're looking for 'Die Hard, Part 27' you'd better go elsewhere. This film's got class.

`Come on, God. Gimme a break, will ya?' All movies should start this way.

And from there, an affecting love story unfolds in James Savoca's Sleepwalk. Ray, played by Ivan Martin (think Judd Nelson with the charisma turned WAY up), is an upbeat, yet down-on-his-luck, night dweller who happens to cross paths with Drea de Matteo's (Adrianna in The Sopranos) Henry.

In an all-time cute-meet, Ray's rooftop plea to God is perhaps answered when Adrianna, who's working below in her studio, surprises him with a conversation through a ventilation duct. They cannot see each other, but there's an immediate attraction, as Adrianna wistfully asks if Ray's still there after a silent moment. See, she WANTS to talk to Ray. It's a small detail, but it gets you psyched that she's interested.

Henry invites Ray inside, where get-to-know-you chitchat ensues. And all this time, the camera doesn't move for the first 20 minutes. Clearly, it's a wise decision on Savoca's part, allowing the viewer to be a fly on the wall, enjoying the relationship that's developing. Only when Ray is trying to guess Henry's name does the camera track around with Martin, a decision that infuses the film with a nice burst of adrenaline. Moreover, the strength of Martin and de Matteo's performances ring true, as there's not one false or insincere moment in the film. It's a real challenge to confine a film to two characters in one room, but the trio of Savoca, Martin, and de Matteo pull it off perfectly.

It's the little moments between Ray and Henry that will keep you cheering: the aforementioned moment where they meet, a hilarious episode where they shave each other, Ray's remarks about Henry cuddling him with her feet. Of course, there's the indelible image of Ray and Henry lying on the floor where an American flag has been painted. This classic imagery, beautifully captured by George Motz, is accented by the simple detail of Ray and Henry taking each other's hand.

With touching performances and sensitive direction, Sleepwalk is the very definition what's best and what's possible in real independent filmmaking.

James Savoca proves that he has a bright future ahead of him with his debut feature film, Sleepwalk. Great cinematography, script writing and direction, coupled with wonderful acting; drive this film that you truly never want to end. The actors seem wonderfully comfortable, while never really fitting into their own skin. While the last statement may seem contradictory, if you see or have seen this film you will understand what it is that I am referring to. I have actually spoken to Mr. Savoca and I must say that he is indeed a great guy, as well as an awesome director. It is a great thing to find a director who is down to earth and willing to speak to his fans. This fact makes me enjoy his movie that much more, and appreciate that he shares his vision with us. Highly recommended!

This was a slow-moving picture. Indeed, it was hard to tell whether it was moving at all, given that it didn't seem to be anywhere when it started nor anywhere when it finished. Nevertheless, I still found it interesting. As I believe that the first rule of food film is simply to be interesting, and that all other rules don't matter if that first one is kept, I give this film a good rating.

I'm having a hard time figuring out precisely what makes the film interesting. I suppose having Drea de Matteo's lovely form on screen for 2 hours is enough to accomplish that. Nevertheless, I think this film has a little more going for it than just her. I think the thing that got me was that I could identify with the characters. Their motivations and reactions appeared very real to me. They weren't particularly brilliant characters...just normal people. But they were complex, and surprising, and the way one would expect them to be, even though one could not predict how they would be: rather like real people. So kudos to the writer/director and cast. Hope you get to work some more.

Beautifully shot, and great acting. Dre de Matteo does a wonderful turn in the lead and is well matched with Ivan Martin. The music is terrific as well. This is worth looking for.