SLEEP WITH ME

US, 1994, 83 minutes, Colour.
Eric Stoltz, Meg Tilley, Craig Sheffer, June Lockhart, Quentin Tarantino.
Directed by Rory Kelly.

Sleep With Me is a brief experimental film. Eric Stoltz, star of many of these independent films, plays Joseph, a young man who finally proposes to his girlfriend, Sarah, played by Meg Tilley. Their best friend is Frank, played by Craig Sheffer.

The film is a series of episodes. In fact, it was written by six writers, each of whom took a separate segment to explore the characters in different ways. This accounts for the seeming inconsistency of some of the behaviour of the characters. It also accounts for the difference in visual styles, some straightforward presentations of the characters on film, others of video selections. There are also a lot of interiors ranging from poker games to parties. The three principals give interesting performances, especially Craig Sheffer as the ambiguous Frank. There is a guest spot from June Lockhart as a haughty author and a hilarious spot from Quentin Tarantino as a guest at a party. As in Reservoir Dogs with his screenplay opening the film in discussion about Madonna and during Pulp Fiction with the discussions about hamburgers, Tarantino shows that he is able to write very funny dialogue about popular icons. In this case it is a long discussion about a gay reading of Top Gun.

1. An interesting exploration of characters? Thirtysomethings? Commitment, love, betrayal? Reconciliation?

2. The six authors and the different perspectives on the characters? The different styles of film-making within the film? How well did it cohere?

3. The importance of dialogue, the characters and their continued conversations, situations to help them speak, to interact? The melodramatics of the interaction? The supporting characters, the wedding, the card games, the parties?

4. The title, its reference to Sarah, to Joseph, to Frank? Frank and his love and infatuation for Sarah?

5. Joseph, ordinary young man, his relationship with Sarah, the melodramatic proposal? The joy of the wedding? His erratic behaviour? The card games, the friendship with Frank, the socials? His jealousy of Frank? His clash with Sarah at the party, going off with the girl, not going ahead with the relationship? His suspicions of Sarah, the confrontation with her, with Frank? Her driving off, his pursuit, the reconciliation?

6. Sarah, studies, friendship with Frank and Joseph, the proposal, marrying Joseph? His treatment of her? In herself, Frank's attentions, the clash with Joseph, her going with Frank, the sexual encounter? The six days passing, her meeting Frank coming into the party, in the bathroom, the clash with Joseph, her driving off? Stopping at the lights, waiting for Joseph?

7. Frank, in the car at the beginning, his tall stories, especially about Frank Sinatra? His witnessing the proposal, the marriage? His still loving Sarah, the walk along the beach, the discussions with her, remembering the first time he saw her and falling in love with her? The weeks passing after the wedding, the card games? The friends knowing that Frank was still infatuated with Sarah? His going off with her after the clash with Joseph, the sexual encounter, the aftermath? Six days, climbing in the window, the hostess and her clash, in the bathroom, Joseph and his fight with Frank, Sarah driving off? Frank left at the end?

8. The friends, Dwayne and Amy, Deborah? Their conversations, their friendship, the issues of the 30-year-olds? The young woman being videoed by Frank, interviewed? Her later going off with Joseph, nothing happening?

9. The author, her being out of touch with that generation, her being questioned, her haughty remarks?

10. The Quentin Tarantino guest spot, as an intense character, reading films, his theory about Top Gun and homosexuality?

11. The different styles of filming, the verbal captions throughout the film? The style of the initial drive, the wayside proposal? The wedding? The home movies? The walk along the shore? The poker game? Frank videoing interviewing the girls, Joseph, the girls interviewing Frank? Interviewing Sarah for her motives? She interviewing him? The kitchen, the dinner, the talk about sex and the aftermath? The poker game? The discussions about Frank? Nigel's mother-in-law, the monologue and her age, the critique of men? The party, the guests, sending Frank away? The aftermath with the car and Joseph running after Sarah?

12. The film as an experimental exploration of characters, interactions, issues of relationships?