“The Science of Sleep” is the latest film by French director Michel Gondry, infamous for his work with such colorful musicians as Bjork and Radiohead, as well as his ability to meld reality and fantasy, as seen in his last film, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” “The Science of Sleep” is no departure from his signature style. The film, written and directed by Gondry, vividly illustrates the coalescence of dreaming and waking life, transforming a metropolis into a pulsing cardboard panorama and weaving a childlike dreamscape out of yarn and felt.

“The Science of Sleep” is visually akin to watching Punch and Judy on acid. Gondry’s dream world in “The Science of Sleep” is a stylistic throwback to many of the music videos he directed in the past: at times sinister and apocalyptic, but all the while maintaining the allure of a children’s pop-up book. This film fits into Gondry’s larger collection of work more as a continuation of his signature style than an attempt at using gimmicky visual stimulation to wow his audience. Expecting such optic acrobatics from Gondry is like expecting flashy soundtracks and blood baths from Quentin Tarantino. In this, “The Science of Sleep” does not disappoint.

To further the arts-and-crafts metaphor, “The Science of Sleep” is a patchwork of languages and identities that are shoddily stitched together. The protagonist, St