Touches You

Sadly Over-hyped

Blistering performances.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Bill Maher's 'Sleepwalking' starts off slow and I initially got the impression that this would be another one of those films that isn't really going anywhere. I was more put off by the Tara character who appeared to be just another caricature bitchy preteen, but once Maher is done introducing his character and the first twist takes place (with Jolene leaving), it becomes apparent what a strong character driven piece 'Sleepwalking' as the characters are further fleshed out and Tara isn't portrayed as a one-dimensional hormonal adolescent that one has witnessed in numerous other Hollywood flick but a more recognizable teen who's struggling with her dysfunctional and broken family. All the characters, including the minor ones are portrayed as humans.Zac Stanford's writing is solid. The story is subtly layered and the dialogues are intriguing. I especially remember the last line, a message James leaves for his sister. The execution is very modest. There are no over-the top effects or melodramatic music. The subtle score is effectively used.AnnaSophia Robb is brilliant and Nick Stahl and Charlize Theron are great. Dennis Hopper is excellent as the abusive father who was estranged from his children. Even the supporting actors who have very small roles, like Mathew St. Patrick, Woody Harrelson and Deborra-Lee Furness, make their character more than noticeable.Maher's underrated film is sincere, sad and involving. There's a quiet rhythmic flow to it once one is past the first fifteen minutes. In a way the ending does leave one wanting more because the viewer is drawn to the character's world.

You hate to take shots at a film like "Sleepwalking", which was obviously a labor of love for producer Charlize Theron, who called in a lot of favors and assembled a first-rate cast and crew to make this film. But as Yogi Berra once said: "If you don't know where you are going, you'll probably end up someplace else". Apparently there was so much self-delusion going into the project that no one grasped the slow motion train wreck that this film would become after a very promising first 30 minutes.If nothing else "Sleepwalking" illustrates that the constraining factor limiting the supply of "good" films is in the pre-production area, where producers must grasp at straws in a field of totally lame scripts in the hope that a lot of hard work in the production and post-production phases can make something out of nothing."Sleepwalking" could be described as a sanitized version of Terry Gilliam's "Tideland" (2005). Both films are about a young person dealing with an especially traumatic childhood environment and there are a lot of production design similarities. But "Sleepwalking" trades "Tideland's" American Gothic "Alice in Wonderland" quality for a somewhat muddled but very sincere and gritty redemption theme.This effectively eliminates "Tideland's" off-kilter fans as likely viewers and leaves one wondering who might find the last hour of the film worthwhile viewing. Maybe longtime fans of Joni Mtichell's "Blue" album could tap into it during periods of sedation. Mitchell's comments about her album fit quite nicely into a discussion of "Sleepwalking": "The Blue album, there's hardly a dishonest note in the vocals. At that period of my life, I had no personal defenses. I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world and I couldn't pretend in my life to be strong. Or to be happy. But the advantage of it in the music was that there were no defenses there either."Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

May induce sleeping, I don't know about sleepwalking. I doubt in cause when I woke from drifting off I was still in the same chair and unfortunately still watching this movie. It goes from dry, depressing, dark and pointless to even more of the same. The acting is not very good, which is an insult to Denise Hoper, Woody Harrelson and especially Charlize Theron, I expect way more from an Academy Award winning actress. It cannot all be blamed on her performance but I ask myself, why aren't Academy Award winners more picky about the movies they choose post winning. This film is another example of a trailer being better then the movie, just by watching the trailer and having this cast, most directors could make a better movie. I'm honestly trying to think of a positive but I'm just coming up empty. I mentioned in my review for The Love Guru about bias towards comedies and that they automatically get a lower ratting because they are comedies. I feel this is sometimes the same way with dramas, sometimes they really do suck, but because they deal with emotions and imitate real life situations they automatically get a higher ratting then they deserve.

I watched this movie because I like AnnaSophia Robb a lot. I think she is an actress with a great potential and she is so cute too. She was "almost OK" but the movie wasn't. It started very bad and finished ten times worst.The movie is pointless, too slow and boring. It makes you sleep... and very deeply.The character of Nick Stahl was terrible and so stupid. It had some awful scenes like the fight with his father or when the boss got fired him. I think Charlize Theron is a great actress but in this movie was very bad too.Watch this movie only if you suffer insomnia. It can help you. Otherwise watch something else...