merklekranz
Stephen Baldwin can't sleep, but you, the viewer, will have no trouble nodding off. Annoying flashbacks, daydreaming, and over stylized drivel, would best describe "Dead Awake". Having quirky characters on parade, spouting quirky dialog, in a movie that is such a confusing mess, how can you stop the nightmare? Simple, live with the fast forward button, because you will miss nothing, and save valuable time, instead of wasting it on this nonsense. I think the fun house mirror visual effects were the most annoying part of the film, or was it the ridiculous script, or was it the intolerable editing, or was it the dialog drivel? Without any doubt, it was all of the above. - MERK
Zoe
OK...so first of all i got this on DVD...really cheap. and after watching it i can understand why some people would dislike it. because its the kind of film that isn't exactly mainstream and the humour is very off-beat.but anyway...i watched it...and i loved it...i think the actors are all very well cast and i think Stephen Baldwin plays his character, Desmand ( an insomniac) very well. i found some of the scenes to be all over the place...but it worked, and the soundtrack, at times...is some what crazy. the thing that got me the most about this movie is the fact that it was a dark comedy?...i had no idea?...but thats what made me really enjoy this film because its a bit on the eccentric side. i also loved the ending, it wasn't what i was expecting!i think if you come across this movie on TV or for a cheap price, then give it a go, because you might enjoy it! if you cant get into the plot then the humour may carry you through :) (9/10)
Adam Bridgers
Funny enough, I have insomnia and have had it for years. This was "one of those nights" and this film came on @ 5:05am. The entire premise, especially in my situation, was enough to keep my attention. Then it went ODD, but with some very memorable characters (look out for the midget cops!) Michael Ironside plays a PERFECT loon. And REALLY ODD, Baldwin plays someone who is incredibly smart, clever, and observant -> and DOES IT BELIEVABLY! (yeah, i couldn't believe it either!) If you're in for some truly bizarre "Lucky Number Slevin" knockoff with those oddball/knotty/curves in a movie, it's worth your time (although if you're observant, you'll catch on to some key parts pretty early on; the plot will have to plug the pieces together though).I thought it was pretty darn strange, but I DID enjoy it. As an insomniac anyways! :oD
sawyerheights
I was riveted to the screen watching this movie. It has a special ambiance and quirky quality which reminded me of David Lynch's efforts. Granted the plot gets a bit contrived and murky at times, but I didn't feel it detracted from the overall experience. The quality of the cinematography, the playful reeling out of the plot through time-adjusting edits, and the consistency of the actors' characters made it a special film. One commentator called Baldwin's character zombie-like, but that may have missed the mark. The key character is supposed to be exhausted, at the edge of sleep, and befuddled due to his insomnia. Baldwin played it perfectly. There are a lot of really fun moments in this film, and I might note that it includes one of the most sensual screen kisses ever (notably, both actors were fully clothed). If the plot had received a little more fine-tuning, I would have rated the movie even higher.
AD
