Sleep Dealer Won't Put You to Sleep By Michael Montroy

The Matrix pays a visit to Mexico in the form of Sleep Dealer, but it’s only a short visit and a lasting impression never materializes. Even though there are some erudite virtual reality notions and projections about the next frontier of globalization, Alex Rivera's ambitious feature film directing debut lacks the sustained vision (and deeper budget) to pull off its fusion of a meaningful saga within the whelm of science fiction.

Sleep Dealer is named after a factory whose technology enables laborers to remotely work themselves to death without having to cross any border. The opening of the movie intrigues and promises much, but it only ends up falling short on narrative and poignant drive.

Sick of life in the poor village where a private company controls the water supply, tech wiz Memo Cruz (Luis Fernando Pena) fidgets with his radio when it picks up a transmission it shouldn't have. Memo is hardly affected by the ensuing tragedy and heads to Tijuana, where he seeks to have metal nodes implanted in his skin so he can work in the aforementioned factories. Though workers in this computerized sweatshop are often electrocuted or blinded, Memo must keep working there to send money to his family.

As mentioned before, at these factories, all work is completed without actual workers being present. This is the provocative vision of Sleep Dealer as it travels into the not-too-distant future where Memo becomes a "virtual laborer," controlling machines across the U.S. border that work in posh restaurants, on construction sites or as nannies for wealthy families.

Although Sleep Dealer receives an A for its attempted effort and its super-saturated colors which lend the film a lot of its visual interest, the low budget special effects might be too cheap for mainstream audiences. Nevertheless, Sleep Dealer is sure to find a following among science fiction fans and should become a Spanish cult classic. After all, this film is really very ambitious for its overall price tag, and one can’t ignore the indie spirit that went into creating this film. There are so many interesting political messages that are debated within the body of the film and they are done so with subtlety and care, which is why this story transcends most modern science fiction films. Dealing with issues of water privatization, environmental justice, globalization and more, Sleep Dealer is a frightening vision of a world in which technology is a dehumanizing force rather than a tool to bring people together.

Unfortunately, this is also Dealer’s main problem, as it tries to touch upon too much within its limited time frame. As a result, things are simply left to the imagination, which works…sometimes. However, certain things fall too easily and quickly to the wayside, leaving viewers wanting more.

The other main reason the film falls short is its casting. Although Pena is an interesting and talented actor to watch on-screen and Leonor Varela, who plays the writer who earns extra money by secretly selling Memo's life story online, is just as talented, the two of them together just doesn’t work. There is simply a missing chemistry between the two of these fine actors which results in a production that falls short on its much-needed emotional drive. The chemistry could have worked had there been a chemical reaction between the two characters from the outset, but sadly this never was put into the mix.

Sleep Dealer is now playing in limited release.

For more information, visit the film’s official Web site.