I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

I definitely expected something different than what I got from this film. On the surface, it's a simple premise, a seeming coming-of-age tale of a young woman in the brink of adulthood and her feelings about growing up. A lot of the film works in the quiet though, all of the performances are incredibly understated but very effective (even more effective than the lead actress is Marc-Andre Grondin, who really shows us the loneliness and yearning to stay a certain way). Many will not take to the film, which is understandable because it's not at all plot driven by any means. However, it's only as it goes on that you really feel like you are watching something special, most evident when the extraordinary ending comes.

Beautifully shot in black and white, and set during the summer in a town in Quebec, this film is intentionally slow-paced as it tracks the ennui of its main character Nicole. The sexy young woman, ably portrayed by Julianne Cote, is trying to navigate herself through such early adult experiences as relationships with men, trying to cope with a most boring job, and getting her first credit card, on which she promptly books a trip to Iceland with her best friend Veronique (Catherine St-Laurent).With her parents away on vacation, Nicole has been left to look after their house, along with her much older and rather depressive brother Remi. He's constantly conducting jam sessions in the home with his band mates, which is not helping Nicole's insomnia any.I think one's enjoyment of this movie will depend on how long the viewer is willing to wait, with its very deliberate pacing, for the comedic nuggets to appear. I thought there were some very funny scenes, while others didn't work as well, and appeared too flat-toned and even tedious, at times.All in all, the deadpan and quirky humor here only is partially successful, in my opinion. The film is written and directed by Stephane Lafleur.

Tu Dors Nicole (You're Sleeping, Nicole) follows aimless Nicole and her friend Veronique over a summer while her parents are away, and that's as much story as it needs to be a great movie. I felt black and white was a great choice that helped focus on everything happening around the scenes like the sound of a drum or a sewing machine, the emptiness of the suburbs or a field, making it so easy to get lost in the film, even if you don't speak French, I also thought the subtitles framed at the bottom right were a nice touch. When I was aware of the movie, it was only because the scenes were shot so well, and I remembered I was watching actors, not friends I may very well have known as a teenager, and certainly I think many people would be able to identify with the characters on screen. There was a feeling throughout the film that even the supporting characters felt familiar, and I especially loved the voice-over work for the ten year old. I'll be watching Nicole again sometime, and not just because the music deserves another listen as well.It's not entirely unlike Ghost World, but I thought this film felt more genuine, maybe because like Nicole, it wasn't in any rush to get anywhere, and as such was able to take its time and appreciate something in every moment.

Tu Dors Nicole (2014): Dir: Stephane Laflear / Cast: Julianne Cote, Marc-Andre Grondin, Catherine St-Laurent, Francis La Haye, Simon Larouche: Boring Canadian film with a title that translates to You're Sleeping, Nicole. She is sleeping and it is allowing her summer to escape. Her name is Nicole, and she is played by Julianne Cote. She is a young adult watching the house while her parents are away but is disturbed when her older brother drops in with his band to record an album. Tension rises when she cannot find peace and quiet and struggles to maintain any sleep schedule. Catherine St-Laurent plays her best friend whom she hopes to spend time with but she becomes distracted by the boys in the band. Marc-Andre Grondin plays Nicole's brother whose band has trouble maintaining a drummer due to his inability to get along. One of his band mates is awaiting to become a father any day now. His new drummer strikes up a few quiet moments with Nicole where she sews his pants. She is an issue all her own. She steals from the thrift shop she works at. She struggles to unlock her bicycle chain. The funniest encounter involves a male tween she babysits who has a crush on her. His voice is deep and adult completely misleading his small stature. Unfortunately the screenplay is dull with director Stephane Laflear often lingering on objects for no apparent reason. The black and white presentation is slick but the music is lousy sounding like something emerging from a jack-in-the-box. While the theme stresses a summer fully going south on this female, the screenplay goes south so fast that viewers are likely to go to sleep. Score: 5 / 10