Waking Life is about a young man in a persistent lucid dream-like state. The film follows its protagonist as he initially observes and later participates in philosophical discussions that weave together issues like reality, free will, our relationships with others, and the meaning of life.
Direction
Linklater's rotoscope fever dream, 18 years before Apollo 10½
Cinematography
Bob Sabiston's shifting animation styles = unstable reality
Writing
Conversations that feel hijacked from actual Austin weirdos
Director
Richard Linklater
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Jesse and Celine cameo retroactively makes this a stealth Before Sunrise sequel where they're literally dreams.
Linklater shot on digital in 2001 then had animators rotoscope over it—basically inventing his own workflow because the tech didn't exist.
US
