Dead Awake

An insomniac (Stephen Baldwin) learns how to wake up during a murder investigation that pits him against women that would die to be his secretary, a whacked-out detective searching for the truth and a sleazy diner full of so-called friends that only want to help. Stephen Balwin puts in another regular performance but this time with a script that shines. It is amost cult level...almost.

This was a pretty good little thriller. The idea revolving around insomniac Desmond Caine, who wonders the streets at night and witnesses a murder, was good. Did he really see a murder, or is his brain playing tricks on him. It soon becomes apparant that he did really see a murder, which he becomes the lead suspect for, and his life is then in danger.

This is a well paced and soldily directed thriller with good twists and it has a dark and funny comical edge to it. The good thing about this film was that it had a fairly original idea and the film is entertaining. The end was kind of a let down in some ways though. I do think this idea had the potential to be a really good dark and eerie thriller, ore of a horror, while this is more of a quirky thriller.

The cast is good. Stephan Baldwin is good in the lead, as is the gorgeous Maxim Roy as his wife. It is Michael Ironside who steal the show though, he is excellent as one of the strange characters that Desmond meets on his nightly journeys.

Overall this was solid and watchable but most definately not best way to have handled a great idea (much like the handling of Schwarzeneggers 6th day), but it certainly wasn't the worst. 6/10

"Dead Awake" tells of a corporate marketing visionary/maven and insomniac (Baldwin) who sleeps with his eyes open at work by day and hangs out in a diner with some peculiar blue-collar types by night and gets entangled in murder and other mischief. The film sneers at traditional character development while painting an unlikely portrait of human nature on it's untra-hip neo-noir canvass. Somewhat interesting because of it's sharp creative edge, this nominal whodunit is less believable than entertaining. Okay for flick junkies who care more about the "sizzle" than the "steak".

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

as an avid movie watcher i often rent dvds or tapes i never heard of. usually crappy films that deserve their fate. but occasionally i come across a gem. this is one such movie. points definitely go for originality and quirkiness, it is a rather unique script with some genuine and off-the-wall twists that actually are twisted. i won't give anything away-just see it and stick with it all the way. it is not a perfect film, but it is heads and shoulders above the crap this country spews out.