Movie Review: ‘In My Sleep’ – Trust, Betrayal, Sleep and Death.

Where I am from, there is a saying, “Sleep is the cousin of death.” That saying for me always implied that you never have control over what happens when you are asleep, just like when you are eventually dead, because in both cases, your conscious awareness is lost.

Writer and director Allen Wolf explores this idea of sleep taking away our awareness in an interesting thriller titled “In My Sleep“. The film tells the story of Marcus as he races to uncover the truth after he discovers he may have murdered a good friend while sleepwalking.

Marcus (played by Philip Winchester), a good-looking masseur and playboy, suffers from an extreme case of parasomnia where he does more than just sleepwalking. His condition is so severe that he is capable of leaving his home and hooking up with some random girl somewhere without being aware of it. Interesting, right? His case of sleepwalking has been ongoing for a greater part of his life, and his best friend Justin (played by Tim Draxl) has even pushed for him to seek some form of treatment. Marcus believes he might also be addicted to sex and joins a support group for it, seeking to get better. But things take a weird turn when he ends up sleeping with Justin‘s wife, Ann (played by Kelly Overton), in another strange fit of his parasomnia. They decide to keep it a secret from Justin for fear of ruining the friendship between the two guys.

Allen Wolf‘s writing and direction turns what seems to be a story about love and betrayal into an interesting, suspense-filled thriller on the same premise.

The narrative starts with the complexities of relationships but soon dives into something much darker. When Marcus wakes up covered in blood one time, he starts to observe strange things happening that suggest he might have murdered in his sleep. Ann goes missing and is discovered dead in a park two days later. A confused Marcus, driven by his guilt and hope of being innocent, decides he must get to the bottom of it to know if he committed the murder.

Philip Winchester and Tim Draxl seem like perfect choices for their roles. Winchester is pure eye candy, and it’s understandable why Marcus would be attractive to all the ladies he’s hooked up with, many of whom he doesn’t even remember because it often happens when he believes he’s asleep. Winchester brings a complex mix of charm and vulnerability to the role, making Marcus a character that audiences can both sympathize with and question. Draxl, on the other hand, plays Justin with a calm yet puzzling demeanour, adding depth to the friendship that is central to the film’s interesting plot.

As the narrative progresses, we learn more about Marcus and his childhood. The writing reveals that his condition of parasomnia could be the result of some childhood trauma he has yet to acknowledge and heal from. He even goes back home to his mom, looking for answers. This subplot adds a psychological layer to the film, showing how unresolved issues from the past can manifest in dangerous ways.

The film maintains a decent pace, leading up to an intense climax that reveals more about the story. The 97-minute runtime feels just right for the narrative. None of this runtime seems wasted, as each scene contributes to advancing the story. The intensity and suspense build steadily, making the climax feel even more fulfilling. But for some, it might seem like a story dragging on for too long. You are already immersed in a guessing game, trying to figure out if indeed Marcus is a killer or who else it could be if not him.

Interestingly, the film chooses a colour grading that makes it look and feel almost reminiscent of the early 2000’s. I am not sure what influenced the choice of grading, but it somehow seems to age the film a bit. It feels as though it is not a story set in the present day or perhaps even a film that was shot in recent years. However, this does not take anything away from the film. Instead, it adds an almost nostalgic quality that might appeal to some viewers.

The narrative does get a bit confusing at times with Marcus’s dreams and flashbacks, forcing you to pay more attention to the story. This disorienting effect works in the film’s favour, mirroring Marcus’s confusion and paranoia but might just be too much to handle for some viewers. There are many times in the film also that you are forced to ask yourself if parasomnia can even be this severe. Is it even possible for someone to sleepwalk out of their home to go hook up with someone and not even be aware of what they are doing? Allen Wolf does not help his argument for this premise either because we never get to see any scenes of Marcus‘s sleepwalking interactions with others.

‘In My Sleep‘ is a film with some strengths that might work against it for some viewers but in the end, it is a very well-written and put-together thriller. I would score this film 6.5/10.

It has all the right elements to capture your attention from beginning to end. And by the time it ends, it reminds you of the need for us all to be aware of our past traumas and heal from them before they cause us any more harm, even in our adult lives.

‘In My Sleep‘ will be released on streaming on September 17.