I Can't Sleep

Ostensibly based on a true story about a gay Parisian (in the homosexual sense) who murdered nearly two dozen elderly women during the 80's, Claire Denis's so-typically-French film (i.e., all dressed up with no place to go) focuses on a newly arrived Lithuanian actress looking for work named Daiga. That she, ultimately, has almost no connection with the "granny killer" story is apparently part of the artistic point: life is a series of unconnected dots on a...stop me before I start quoting Godard. Not recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review--March 22, 2005--Wellspring, 110 min., in French w/English subtitles, not rated, $24.98--Making its debut on DVD, 1994's I Can't Sleep is presented with a good letterboxed transfer and a fine Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack (as well as stereo), but no extras other than director/cast filmographies and five unrelated trailers for other foreign films. Bottom line: Claire Denis remains an acquired taste I've yet to acquire; unless you're collecting the entire oeuvres of contemporary French directors, this is still not a necessary purchase.]