`DREAM FOR AN INSOMNIAC' STIRS FEELING OF BEING MADLY IN LOVE.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Daily News Film Critic

Frankie is a young woman who lives in a black-and-white world. Literally. When we first meet her in ``Dream for an Insomniac,'' she and her drab coffeehouse existence are filmed with the absence of color. It's a rather obvious device used by first-time writer-director Tiffanie DeBartolo as a means of conveying Frankie's gloomy persona. And then, when Mr. Right walks through the front door of that coffeehouse - whammo! Life explodes into iridescent hues.

Fortunately for the audience, most of ``Dream for an Insomniac'' shows a lot more originality and spunk than the film's derivative opening reel. Once we're rid of the black-and-white contrivance and the early pretentious dialogue, we're left with a sweet little film that convincingly shows the blush and rush of first love.

Frankie (Ione Skye) is a would-be actress living in a San Francisco loft above a coffeehouse run by her Sinatra-obsessed Uncle Leo (Seymour Cassel) and his in-the-closet, gay son, Rob (Michael Landes). Frankie goes out on auditions with fellow actress and best friend Allison (Jennifer Aniston), but mostly she just serves coffee and complains about men.

``Anything less than extraordinary is a waste of my time,'' she says over and over again.

Then one day, extraordinary walks in the door. His name is David (MacKenzie Astin), and he's cute, smart and can match Frankie quote for quote when it comes to identifying who said what out of Bartlett's. Best of all, in keeping with the film's salute to Sinatra, David has blue eyes. (That's how the color returns to Frankie's world.)

Unfortunately, David also has a live-in girlfriend. There's another complication as well - Frankie and Allison are leaving for Los Angeles in a few days. This ticking clock forces her to go all out and convince David that their love was Meant To Be.

It's an offbeat little movie that initially plays like an overly intellectual episode of ``Friends'' (too much Aristotle and Nietzsche), but eventually evolves into a interesting look at the ways people approach passionate love. It's certainly a feeling most of us recall, even if from the distance of years of sameness and stability that a permanent relationship brings. DeBartolo nails those emotions, vividly capturing the exciting intensity that occurs when you know you've met The One.

Those heightened feelings, as well as appealing performances from Skye and Astin, carry you through ``Dream for an Insomniac'' and make it an enjoyable confection for anyone who has ever been in love.

THE FACTS

The film: ``Dream for an Insomniac'' (R; language).

The stars: Ione Skye, Jennifer Aniston, MacKenzie Astin.

Behind the scenes: Written and directed by Tiffanie DeBartolo. Released by Avalanche.

Running time: One hour, 28 minutes.

Playing: Mann 4 Westwood.

Our rating: Three Stars.

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Photo

Photo: Frankie (Ione Skye), left, is gloomy until Mr. Right walks into the coffeehouse where she works in ``Dream for an Insomniac,'' co-starring Jennifer Aniston.