‘Something awakens’
Sleep is a 2023 South Korean mystery dark comedy horror film about a pregnant wife who becomes worried about her husband’s sleeping habits. Also known as Jam and 잠.
Written and directed by Jason Yu – making his film directorial debut.
The Lewis Pictures-Solaire Partners co-production stars Lee Sun-kyun [aka 이선균], Jung Yu-mi [aka 정유미], Kim Keum-soon, Kim Kuk-hee, Lee Kyung-jin and Yoon Kyung-ho.
Plot:
Hyeon-soo (Lee Sun-kyun) and Soo-jin (Jung Yu-mi) have been together for a long time and are expecting their first child. However, Soo-jin’s world is turned upside down one day when Hyeon-soo starts sleepwalking. This isn’t a big deal for the first few nights.
Unfortunately, day after day, Hyeon-soo’s sleepwalking becomes more and more worrying. When the new baby becomes the third resident of the apartment, both parents have to resort to tougher measures to prevent events from escalating…
Reviews:
“This is all very exciting and snappily paced, which is what makes the last act so frustrating. After spending two thirds of its runtime balancing scares, character beats and exposition, Sleep’s third section opens with a time jump that elides at least one major plot point, which is only glimpsed in a still image. It’s a huge disappointment that the film only discusses this development rather than show it.” ★★★½ Bloody Disgusting
“With all the uncertainty that’s constantly present, it all works pretty well until the story takes an occult direction. The terrible acts that Hyeon-soo is responsible for suddenly no longer hit a sore spot, on the contrary. The expectation of not being confronted with any clichés crumbles from now on. Once again, the impression arises that the subconscious is simply too boring and/or unimportant for most filmmakers.” 4 out of 10, Film Rezensionen [translated from German]
“On one hand, it is a good but seemingly typical genre film that has moments of uncanny intelligence. On the other, it is an uncannily intelligent work that eventually settles for simply being a good genre film. Either way, Yu has shown that he has much to offer, regardless of the disappointing conclusion. If he can harness his incisive nature more effectively, Yu will be a formidable director not just in horror but in any cinematic arena.” 7 out of 10, Film Threat
“When the script is flipped, and Soo-jin descends into madness from lack of sleep, Hyun-su is completely unsupportive, lacking sympathy from the get-go […] This is a great display of sexism in our society, and a double standard applied to physical versus mental illness. The deeper cultural analysis beneath well-executed surface-level terror is what makes Sleep especially sharp.” ★★★★ Josh at the Movies
“As Jason Yu’s film debut, this film was quite successful in making the audience curious. The film’s gloomy tone, oppressive interior settings, and thrilling scoring in several parts successfully help build an atmosphere of mystery in this film.” 70% Montase Film [translated from Indonesian]
” …the drop in tension in the second half is probably less tempting to take a nap. So keep your eyes open when the plot, refined with a pinch of psychology, overturns the suspense so skillfully built in the atmospheric opening chapters with gimmicky excesses. Nevertheless, the tried and tested actors and unusual basic idea deliver solid genre fare.” 5.5 out of 10, Movie Break [translated from German]
“With Sleep, Jason Yu presents a solid horror film that comes with a wink and therefore makes you smile more than it scares you. The somewhat poor sleepwalker story gets off to a rather slow start, but in the last half-hour, the film really hits its stride. But you’ll probably still be able to sleep well afterwards.” 4 out of 6, Out Now [translated from German]
“By the time the film reaches its fevered finale, we feel just as trapped and uncertain as Soo-jin, struggling with what we even want to happen next. The finale has one of the most spectacular reveals in the genre in a long time, but Sleep isn’t just an exercise in unpredictable writing; it’s a tightly paced and calibrated piece of genre filmmaking.” RogerEbert.com
“While Jung Yu-mi does a good job of embodying her character’s gradual emotional disturbance along the story, Lee Sun-kyun steadily functions as her solid counterpart throughout the film, and Kim Gook-hee provides a bit of cheerfulness at the fringe of the story as one of the neighbors in the apartment building. On the whole, Sleep is a well-made genre flick to be admired for its commendable technical aspects.” 3 out of 4, Seongyong’s Private Place
Release:
In the US, Magnet Releasing will distribute Sleep in 2024 on a date to be confirmed.
Festival teaser trailer:
Technical specs:
1 hour 35 minutes
Audio: Dolby Digital
Notes:
Not to be confused with the 2020 German film Sleep directed by Michael Venus.
