All Roads to Pearla

Despite the nagging frustration of a film more interested in the mystery rather than the answer, Dittavong's feature film debut is a hell of a calling card.

Sleeping in Plastic is a very stylish noir drama that is never too far from an atmospheric street light or a moodily lit bar.

It's a movie that tries very hard to be gritty and sleek at the same time, yet it comes up short when it comes to overall storytelling ... It's hard to like a movie that leaves major issues unresolved by the end of the film.

This is a much more compelling film than you might expect, and it hints at good things to come.

Its direction is dreamy, the cast is excellent, and the score is the best thing in the film. But there are too many subplots that go nowhere, and the dialogue between characters is unnatural and inauthentic.