It’s amazing how much occurs in “Wakey Wakey”, yet how little of it leaves a lasting impression. Even the most taboo scenarios, such as possible incest, falls flat. It’s not from a lack of trying. Adrian Goodman has his head and heart in the right place. He has an interesting idea on hand and supports it with beautiful cinematography and a wonderful soundtrack. He just can’t quite seem to make me care.
The story centers around Josie (Laura Wheelwright) and Samantha (Fabiana Weiner), two sisters who are watching after the house while their parents are gone. Josie suffers from narcolepsy, which for those that don’t know causes her to pass out at inopportune times. At first, Adrian plays around with this comedically. She passes out while eating dinner, leaving her prone to an attack from Sam. Nothing visceral; just pouring spaghetti on her. I guess the hand in warm water trick was too predictable.
After a short while, Adrian starts playing with the narcolepsy. Specifically, Samantha does. She stages her in embarrassing situations, hides the dog and makes her believe he never existed, strings her sister up on rope and dangles her from the ceiling, etc. When Josie awakens, she’s either made to feel guilty about her supposed actions or told that her dreams are blending into reality.
That last aspect could make for an intriguing twist, but I never felt that was the direction Adrian was taking. It always felt as if Sam was screwing around with Josie, sometimes literally. These segments can’t carry the paltry sixty-minute running time and really test the patience of the viewer. The cinematography can help in grasping your attention, but that becomes it’s own distraction.
There’s a crowd out there for “Wakey Wakey”. It’s a surreal fever dream that bucks conventions and relies on peculiar activities. I’m certain if any of this sounds interesting to you, that you’d possibly eat this up. Unfortunately, I’m not in this demographic. I can appreciate the artistry, but that’s about it.
Final Rating: C