In Their Sleep Review

• 21st Feb 2011

This review may contain a spoiler. Made in 2008, but not released in France until last year, is the latest dark thriller that the French seem to have been rather good at making over the past ten years. With the exception of Les Diaboliques (1955) and a few films by Claude Chabrol, this had not been a country noted for its thrillers. But, in the past few years there have been a number of sinister thrillers coming out of the country such as Harry, He’s Here to Help (2000) and À Ma Souer! (2001). In Their Sleep (Dans Ton Sommeil) has been released direct to DVD. This is somewhat unfortunate as it has a rather cracking pace to it in its little over 80 minute running time.

It is the directorial debut from sibling pair Caroline and Eric du Potet and includes a some fine acting from Anne Parillaud, (Nikita) and Arthur Dupont as messed up killer/robber Arthur. Making a cameo appearance is another well known name of French cinema in the 80s and 90s, Jean-Hughes Anglade.

The story revolves around the grieving Sarah (Parillaud) trying to get over the trauma of her teenage son committing suicide. After finishing her shift at the hospital, she is given time off to pull herself together. Driving down a country road, late at night on her way home she accidentally hits a young man who has run into the road and decides to run him back to her hospital. A short while later they are chased by a car that eventually drives off. Visibly shaken, Sarah decides to put the boy, Arthur, up at her remote country house, where she lives alone (you can see where this is going). In the middle of the night the house is broken into and they are attacked. Sarah is knocked out and the intruder violently attacks Arthur. Sarah then comes round and kills the intruder. Arthur flees the scene with Sarah who believes they are going to the police. Sarah then begins to have doubts that the strange young man is who he says he is.

The running theme to many French films is their realism and that is what makes In Their Sleep so chilling. However, the director gets carried away and includes a rather silly dream sequence as a filler. Having said that, Dupont as Arthur is cool and calculating as the screwed up thief/killer and he manages to make the films final scenes shocking. The flat countryside adds to the atmosphere, as the wheat fields take on a sinister banality in the few daylight shots of the landscape. However, the film, despite its pace and acting gets a little carried away with itself and the plot becomes rather predictable after a mere twenty minutes, until the final scene.

As thrillers go it is worth watching, even to those who are not big fans of European or foreign language cinema.

Chris Hick