Synopsis
The movie Chasing Sleep (2000) is a psychological thriller directed by Michael Walker. It follows a college professor who returns home to find his wife missing and begins experiencing severe insomnia and paranoia.
Ed Saxon is a professor teaching English literature. After arriving home one night, he discovers his wife has mysteriously vanished. He calls the police but they find no evidence of foul play. Ed also starts suffering from worsening insomnia, unable to sleep for days on end.
As his insomnia intensifies, Ed becomes increasingly unstable and paranoid, convinced someone has abducted his wife. Visions and dreams blur with reality as his obsession grows. He starts suspecting his strange new neighbor is involved as clues hint at a dark explanation behind his wife’s disappearance.
The movie Chasing Sleep (2000) culminates with the shocking revelation ***SPOILER*** that Ed himself murdered his wife in his sleep-deprived delusional state.
Cast
- Jeff Daniels as Ed Saxon
- Emily Bergl as Penny Saxon
- Gil Bellows as Detective Derm
- Molly Price as Susan Derm
- Dylan Bruno as Evan Derm
Trivia
- Inspired by director Michael Walker’s own experiences with insomnia
- Jeff Daniels agreed to star despite the small budget
- It was shot in under a month in Nova Scotia
- The film struggled to find distribution at first
Reviews
Cursed to Live in Interesting Times
Citations
[1] IMDb
[2] Wikipedia
[3] Rotten Tomatoes
Anonymous on October 29, 2023