Just when you thought your sleep talking and/or walking was bad, the late, great South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun (Parasite) has a new performance out this week to prove you're no match for his character's troubles. There have been some wonderful films about insomnia released over the decades, but Sleep is a completely unique new addition to the canon. It dabbles in a mish-mash of genres and a handful of relatable themes tied to family dynamics, love sacrifice, and more.
Exhuma, another Korean supernatural-laced thriller, was released not too long ago and evoked a similar kind of supernatural vibe amid modern Asian culture. However, Sleep, written and directed by Jason Yu, is based on an entirely different tale, as a young couple expanding their family with a precious newborn is challenged at every turn once one of them starts acting erratically at a certain time of the day. Brace yourselves, folks!
It Comes at Night...
OK, maybe you're thinking that the wondrous South Korean film industry could have coined a more clever and robust title than simply Sleep for this one. Fine. But think about it — how many times have you found yourself uttering this singular word as, say, a simple command to yourself, a partner, or maybe even a young child? "Sleep, damnit!" It can certainly strike a nerve in anxiety-prone insomniacs, but Wu's new film takes the luxury of shut-eye a step or two further.
What if you're snoozing so well these days that you find yourself submerging, unbeknownst to you, into a trance-like state of dangerous, uncontrollable walking, food consumption, and hostility during the nighttime hours? We may even be talking otherworldly levels here. A lot of us can relate to being aggressively elbowed by our significant other during their deep sleep. So, dialing that idea up to the extreme, the notion of feeling unsafe lying next to your sound-asleep partner at night can undoubtedly strike a nerve as well.
Juicy Suspense Starts to Build
The gripping new horror-thriller centers on newlyweds Hyun-su (Sun-kyun) and Soo-jin (Jung Yu-mi), who are clearly quite happy together in their day-to-day when we first meet them. Hyun-su is a busy actor, which he attempts to balance alongside pending fatherhood once his newborn ultimately enters the picture. Yes, a baby can reliably throw your world for a loop, but surprisingly, it's one of the grown-ups here who starts causing the in-house mayhem.
It starts out harmless, though still daunting, as Hyun-su begins sleep-talking and uttering a repeated phrase, "Someone's inside." It's awfully convenient that this phrase matches a line that his character has to say in a TV project Hyun-su is currently signed on to as an actor, but his wife Soo-jin simply isn't convinced — and rightfully so. Then, spoilers aside, Hyun-su's overnight actions begin to escalate...
To further stir the pot, the couple has a suspect neighbor, Min Jeong (Kim Gook Hee). While, on the surface, she seems friendly and innocent, she ultimately turns passive-aggressive and just plain creepy as she keeps a close eye on their day-to-day. She's lived in the apartment building seemingly forever, dating back to when her now-deceased father lived there, and now all she cares to do is complain about the noise the couple makes — between their yapping dog and, well, Hyun-su's aggressive sleep-walking antics.
RIP, Lee Sun-kyun
Once the antics turn violent, that's when Soo-jin decides to get some medical professionals involved, including a certain Doctor Kim (Yoon Kyung-ho) who warns that the husband's erratic drowsy behavior basically has no known cure. That's just the kind of news you want to hear as you're welcoming your first offspring into this world, right? It doesn't help that Soo-jin's prissy mom (Lee Kyung-Jin) already seems to have it out for Hyun-su to begin with. So, when his overnight alter ego starts putting others' lives at risk, it comes as no surprise that she advises her daughter to jump ship from the whole living situation.
If these kinds of in-law dynamics sound relatable, it's just one of the many perks of this otherwise haunting and sometimes supernatural tale that has other juicy supporting turns up its sleeve, apart from the feisty mother-in-law. Watch out for a chilling centerpiece moment where she resorts to bringing in an impassioned Shaman (Kim Keum-Soon) to give the couple's troubled apartment a once-over and check for unwelcome spirits. Of course, the Shaman senses something in the husband and new dad — but what does it all trace back to? We won't spoil it here, but the late Parasite actor keeps you guessing as more of the building's eerie history is unearthed.
At the end of the day, it's also hats off to Jung Yu-mi, as the hysterical dynamic shifts between husband and wife. Soo-jin slowly loses her grip on reality as she herself loses sleep, trading it for the sake of getting to the bottom of what's been shaking her family of three to the core. Sure, the otherworldly elements may be a turn-off for some, but stick with it. The psychological edge keeps this small-scale horror-thriller afloat, to put it mildly.
From Magnet Releasing, Sleep will be released in theaters and on digital platforms like YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Fandango at Home, and on Prime Video through the link below, on Sep. 27, 2024.
Watch Sleep
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