I’ve never seen Gael Garcia Bernal in a movie before and after watching this one, I leaned over to my wife and said, “I want to see more of what he’s done.” His performance as Stephane was filled with so much raw emotion, giving a strong emotional core to the film. Without his powerful and nuanced performance, the spectacle of the film would have been too much; however, Bernal keeps it grounded in reality with a character so truthful that the insanity happening around him seems completely believable. His life becomes so boring and mundane to him that he prefers to live in his dreams and throughout the movie, his dreams actually start creeping into his waking life.

There are some real neat child-like moments with Bernal and his love interest Stephanie, played masterfully by Charlotte Gainsbourg, that include imagining water as cellophane, playing with Bernal’s one second time machine, and looking through his 3-D glasses. (”Isn’t real life already in 3D?” asks Stephanie at one point) At times I felt sorry for him because I felt like he was a grown up who was trapped in his fantasy of wanting to be a boy again. The most awkward of the scenes were the ones that involved him trying to be flirtatious or charming with Stephanie. You remember in middle school how awkward it was to try and talk to girls you liked? Well, that’s how it felt to watch Stephane work his magic. Yet, it was his indomitable creative spirit that he found mirrored in the equally creative, yet more realistically centered Stephanie.

Contrast to his rough and dissatisfying real world is Stephane’s dream world. It is outlandish, beautiful, and unrestrained. It is in these sequences when Gondry really shows what he’s about. They are filled with so much eye candy it is difficult to take in at times. They range from the absurd (a spider typewriter), to the grand (an entire cardboard city), or to the beautiful (a cloth horseback ride to a boat on a sea of cellophane). What makes the scenes all the more incredible is that, for the most part, Gondry relies only on practical effects. There’s something so refreshingly classic to utilizing stop-motion camera work and actual physical props. It definitely adds that nostalgic touch to the film.

Though not expected but very much welcomed, the film was also filled with some great transcendent humor through the characters’ dialogue. By using truth instead of punch lines to provide the humor, Gondry adds another layer to his already versatile film. The dialogue is in French, English, and Spanish, each seamlessly interweaving with each other, much like the realities of the film interweave. There comes a point in the film where you stop realizing the language of the film is constantly changing. As the film progresses, you forget that at times, it’s either in French, Spanish, or English, it just all flows together as an organic, wonderful dialogue.

This is a film that will amaze you with its visual canvas, and touch you with its powerful emotion. Michel Gondry has created a film that even through the unbelievable situations and perspectives, has so many delicately-crafted human moments. Deep down, this film is a love story. Going back to the title sequence’s spin art, below all of layers being spun and pushed around run currents of human emotion which Gondry smartly anchors the film with; therefore, allowing it to soar.

Content Warning: This movie is rated R for language, some sexual content and nudity. This is not a film for the little ones. Though I am not an advocate of watching rated R movies because of the liberty the studios feel they have to add outrageous content, this one isn’t a STRONG R, but it’s a R nonetheless. There are 2 scenes where my wife and I had to avert our eyes because of female AND male nudity. Be cautious. But, the sexual content does not ruin the film. Just be warned.