A late night boredom trip became quite a spectacle. Not only did the performances from Madchen Amick and James Spader feel realistic and genuine, the actions of the two seemed based more in reality as opposed to the Hollywoodized version of revenge and anger. While some might call this senseless trash, I call this a spectacle of the human condition, one that portrays the hidden evils within every person. With a solid B-cast, this film was certainly worth the time and money put into it. Also, the ending proved to be one of the best `revenge of the cuckold scenes ever.'
49 Reviews
An intriguing psychological melodrama.
Pinback-45 August 1999
DREAM LOVER is a nicely made, well-acted little film about a man who meets and marries the girl of his dreams but begins to wonder who she really is. This film marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Nicholas Kazan, the son of Elia Kazan. He did a very impressive job. The cleverest touch is having a framing device which has a crazed clown at a carnival who explains the major plot developments to James Spader's character and to us as well. Spader plays a very successful businessman who just got a divorce and is very lonely. But a chance encounter with a beautiful young woman named Lena (Madchen Amick in a very incisive performance) changes that. She is perfect in every way. I can't reveal much more story than that. The plot twists and turns like a pretzel. It's not always plausible, especially the ending, but it is entertaining all the same.
Mädchen Amick is the main reason to watch this one.
Hey_Sweden15 March 2020
James Spader is affable as an architect named Ray, who divorced his first wife after she fooled around. Then a new woman comes into his life: the enticing, gorgeous Lena (Madchen Amick), and he soon becomes smitten, to the point of marrying her and fathering children with her. Then he realizes how badly he's screwed up by marrying a woman to whom lying is second nature. She's a master manipulator with a personality for different occasions.
Although not altogether satisfying (especially the ending), "Dream Lover" is a decent suspense-thriller. It treads on pretty familiar ground overall, but writer / director Nicholas Kazan (son of the legendary Elia Kazan) tells a reasonably entertaining story. It spices things up with a bit of sex and nudity (there is an unrated version of this that was released on laserdisc), and Kazan is capable at continuing to throw twists and turns at us. His framework is the most interesting, original element, as it contains scenes of Ray at a carnival where the workers accost him with details of the plot.
The truth is that you can't feel too much sympathy for Ray, as he buys all this trouble by getting involved with a stranger without bothering to learn very much about her. But Spader is good as always, and is surrounded by good actors and familiar faces: Fredric Lehne, Bess Armstrong, and comedian / actor Larry Miller (the main source of comedy relief, obviously) play his friends, and other actors and actresses like Scott Coffey, Clyde Kusatsu, William Shockley, Irwin Keyes, Janel Moloney, Robert David Hall, Paul Ben-Victor, and Erick Avari comprise a solid supporting cast. Still, Madchen is the compelling primary asset of "Dream Lover": looking delectable throughout, she's a treat to watch as she switches on a dime when it comes to her personality shifts.
Kazan does come up with some good dialogue, especially that "paranoia is actually heightened awareness" line. And he & his cast keep this engrossing most of the way, even though that resolution is bound to leave viewers wanting.
Seven out of 10.
Although not altogether satisfying (especially the ending), "Dream Lover" is a decent suspense-thriller. It treads on pretty familiar ground overall, but writer / director Nicholas Kazan (son of the legendary Elia Kazan) tells a reasonably entertaining story. It spices things up with a bit of sex and nudity (there is an unrated version of this that was released on laserdisc), and Kazan is capable at continuing to throw twists and turns at us. His framework is the most interesting, original element, as it contains scenes of Ray at a carnival where the workers accost him with details of the plot.
The truth is that you can't feel too much sympathy for Ray, as he buys all this trouble by getting involved with a stranger without bothering to learn very much about her. But Spader is good as always, and is surrounded by good actors and familiar faces: Fredric Lehne, Bess Armstrong, and comedian / actor Larry Miller (the main source of comedy relief, obviously) play his friends, and other actors and actresses like Scott Coffey, Clyde Kusatsu, William Shockley, Irwin Keyes, Janel Moloney, Robert David Hall, Paul Ben-Victor, and Erick Avari comprise a solid supporting cast. Still, Madchen is the compelling primary asset of "Dream Lover": looking delectable throughout, she's a treat to watch as she switches on a dime when it comes to her personality shifts.
Kazan does come up with some good dialogue, especially that "paranoia is actually heightened awareness" line. And he & his cast keep this engrossing most of the way, even though that resolution is bound to leave viewers wanting.
Seven out of 10.
Great thriller
brendonm5 April 2001
Perhaps the allusions to Hitchcock are not warranted, but the first time I saw this I was knocked out. DREAM LOVER has a tightly wound plot and fine performances by the entire cast. Nick Kazan has some great dialogue in here like "What you think is paranoia is heightened awareness." Some folks might fault Spader's character as very stupid (really, you should find out as much as you can about a potential mate before marrying them!) Still, this a great neo noir thriller that really goes to show that beauty is often skin deep. Definitely worth a rent.
For Richer Or Poorer
bkoganbing26 April 2009
For you classical movie fans and fans of the Fifties music scene, this film Dream Lover will not contain a note of either Jeanette MacDonald's first film hit song from The Love Parade or will you hear Bobby Darin's hit from the Fifties, both entitled Dream Lover. Neither song while different in style is positive in nature and wouldn't be right in this very downer of a thriller.
James Spader can't believe his luck in finding Madchen Amick, she's the perfect beautiful woman. He must feel like Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell Smith when they created Kelly LeBrock in Weird Science. This woman is an eleven plus and after a divorce from Bess Armstrong, Spader's in need of reassurance that he's still got it.
They marry and have children, but gradually he starts noticing little things that she always has a perfect explanation, but rattle Spader beyond the point of endurance. When he starts investigating his wife, Spader finds a lot of things just don't add up.
Dream Lover is a neat little thriller that will keep you guessing right to the end who is going to come out on top. In fact neither of them really do, or at least that's how I view the film.
Spader, Amick and the rest of the cast respond well to writer/director Nicholas Kazan's script and guidance. When Spader starts investigating the past of his wife and finds she's just a down home girl from Texas instead of what she puts out, he meets up with William Shockley her old boy friend. His one scene in the film with Spader will leave an indelible impression.
In fact Dream Lover will leave an indelible impression on you.
James Spader can't believe his luck in finding Madchen Amick, she's the perfect beautiful woman. He must feel like Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell Smith when they created Kelly LeBrock in Weird Science. This woman is an eleven plus and after a divorce from Bess Armstrong, Spader's in need of reassurance that he's still got it.
They marry and have children, but gradually he starts noticing little things that she always has a perfect explanation, but rattle Spader beyond the point of endurance. When he starts investigating his wife, Spader finds a lot of things just don't add up.
Dream Lover is a neat little thriller that will keep you guessing right to the end who is going to come out on top. In fact neither of them really do, or at least that's how I view the film.
Spader, Amick and the rest of the cast respond well to writer/director Nicholas Kazan's script and guidance. When Spader starts investigating the past of his wife and finds she's just a down home girl from Texas instead of what she puts out, he meets up with William Shockley her old boy friend. His one scene in the film with Spader will leave an indelible impression.
In fact Dream Lover will leave an indelible impression on you.
Madchen Amick's Best Role
johnnyhbtvs273 February 2022
Nice thriller with a decent amount of mystery let down by a rather abrupt ending. It's a shame because the film moves along nicely and is well executed for the first hour and slowly loses It's way. James Spader is good in the lead role & Madchen Amick is brilliant in her best role to date. Amick is never better than here as we learn more and more about her character and what's true and false. Just a shame about that ending though.
Incoherent but somewhat worthwhile thriller
The_Void30 November 2006
Dream Lover is one odd little film. On one hand, it's a Neo-Noir style mystery romantic thriller, but for some reason; supernatural themes are constantly hinted at through the tone, title and dream sequences featured throughout the film. I have to say that it really looks like director Nicholas Kazan wasn't really sure what he wanted the film to be, and what we've ended up with is a disjointed blending of a few different genres, which hasn't come out all that well. Still, Dream Lovers does manage an interesting story in spite of this; and while I'm biased because I love a good mystery thriller, I'd say it's just about worth seeing. The plot focuses on Ray Reardon (not the snooker player), a man who has just split with his wife. It's not long before he meets the beautiful Lena Mathers, whom he falls in love, marries and has kids with...before realising that he doesn't really know anything about her. Oops! Around the same time, strange events transpire and it becomes obvious to Ray that Lena isn't who she appears to be, and so he endeavours to get to the bottom of who she is.
James Spader takes the lead role and both acts and looks the part that he is playing. He is joined by the suitably sexy Mädchen Amick, who is both sultry and seductive in her role. The leads do have chemistry together, and while the film is in no way as sexy as Nicholas Kazan obviously thinks it is, there are no problems on the acting front. The plot really is all over the place, yet somehow it still manages to be rather predictable and despite being a mystery, Dream Lover soon sets itself into a rhythm. I don't like the title very much, as it gives the complete wrong impression of the film - and while it sort of makes sense given what happens, it could have been marketed better. It all boils down to a decent enough ending which, while not very clever, manages to make sense in spite of the fact that it's all a little bit silly, and the final sequence is by far and away the most powerful in the film. Overall, I can't really give Dream Lovers high recommendations, but it's enjoyable and I think the majority of negative comments directed against it are unfair.
James Spader takes the lead role and both acts and looks the part that he is playing. He is joined by the suitably sexy Mädchen Amick, who is both sultry and seductive in her role. The leads do have chemistry together, and while the film is in no way as sexy as Nicholas Kazan obviously thinks it is, there are no problems on the acting front. The plot really is all over the place, yet somehow it still manages to be rather predictable and despite being a mystery, Dream Lover soon sets itself into a rhythm. I don't like the title very much, as it gives the complete wrong impression of the film - and while it sort of makes sense given what happens, it could have been marketed better. It all boils down to a decent enough ending which, while not very clever, manages to make sense in spite of the fact that it's all a little bit silly, and the final sequence is by far and away the most powerful in the film. Overall, I can't really give Dream Lovers high recommendations, but it's enjoyable and I think the majority of negative comments directed against it are unfair.
Nice idea, spent with little issue.
rmax30482321 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This rather slow romantic thriller reminds me a little of the old "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" show from the 1960s -- an engaging idea with little effort spent in polishing it up in a satisfying manner, as if the writers were working under a deadline.
A rich architect (Spader) accidentally meets a ravishing young woman (Amick) at an art show. When I say "accidentally", I mean he spills wine on her new dress. Then they coincidentally bump into one another in the local supermarket and he takes her to dinner. On his first visit to her apartment they jump into bed. Okay for HIM, I suppose. After all, it's Madchen Amick, looking pale and delicious, full mouthed, and eyeball-coagulatingly gorgeous. But what about HER? I mean, whatever happened to family values? No matter. The couple are madly in love and they marry and have two children. Or do they? As one of the guests at a party remarks, the child doesn't look like Spader at all. Amick swoops around in slinky gowns and glamorous hair dos and a Rajah's fortune in jewels, and Spader labors away at the firm, bringing home the shekels to pay for his perfect family.
About half-way through the film, things get a little twisted though. A series of the most unlikely coincidences pop up. Well, let me describe the first one. Spader and Amick are in a fancy restaurant in a city and an older woman approaches their table and says, "Why you're Sissy from Pruneville, Texas! I know you!" (Something like that anyway.) Later, as it turns out, this was no mistake in identity. She really IS that small-town girl. But, then, what is the likelihood of two people who from Pruneville, who already know one another, showing up at the same Japanese restaurant at the same time in the same big city? The likelihood is exactly one chance out of 8,502 to the seventh power.
The same implausibility haunts the rest of what might have been turned into a film that really grabs you, something on the order of "Vertigo", if "Vertigo" had been shoddier and less demanding of its audience. In this case, we have -- here comes a spoiler -- we have Madchen Amick who has reinvented herself in order to marry a rich WASP who supports her while she indulges her sexual appetites and other sociopathic impulses. It takes Spader a couple of years to twig. When he finally penetrates all of her intrigues and confronts her, she taunts him until he belts her for the first and only time, which is what she's been waiting for.
She calls in her psychiatrist and the police, exhibiting bruises that she seems to have caused herself, and has Spader committed to what is delicately called an "institution". (This is beginning to sound like MY marriage.) Boy, does the writing get sloppy here. Spader is taken by his keepers to a legal hearing at which all of his findings and suspicions are labeled delusions. And Spader is required to do what all sane people in the movies do under similar circumstances. Instead of calmly explaining his position, he goes berserk in court, begins shouting curses, tries to attack his wife, and is hauled away by his keepers.
Actually, the psychiatric hospital is really a pretty nice place compared to some that I've worked in. This one must be private because it looks kind of like a resort spa. In any case, Spader enlists his first wife in a ploy to get Amick to visit him. She does, explaining that she plans to run off with one of her boyfriends, maybe taking the kids with her or possibly just "dumping them". He takes her to a secluded spot on the grounds. (The photography is quite good and the direction not bad.) There, alone, he sensibly explains to her that, since he is now legally insane, he can't be held responsible for anything he does. If he commits a crime, his defense is already prepared, and he'll be out in a year. It doesn't matter what the crime is. He could even strangle her. And he does. The end.
What a waste of material. It's like a half-hour TV show drawn out to an hour and a half with a trick ending tacked on. It COULD have been turned into a much better movie without any loss to its thrill quotient. The reveal is far too sudden. And the climax looks like an idea someone dreamed up while stoned. And there are several "dream" interludes, the points of which managed to escape me. (My dreams are splotchy and not half so neatly organized.) Spader does fairly well in his role. He's best at looking quizzically at someone, at listening, not projecting rage. He did a fine job at posing as a cooperative listener in "Wolf". Madchen Amick is stunning but illustrates the limits of her range as an actress. Larry Williams, as a weak friend of Spader's, talks fast but comes across more as a self-indulgent idiot than a good pal.
It's not an insulting film. It's just that it barely reaches the bar it set for itself, and that was pretty low to begin with. There are some good scenes in it, and the idea is solid, but this is a script that really did need a doctor.
A rich architect (Spader) accidentally meets a ravishing young woman (Amick) at an art show. When I say "accidentally", I mean he spills wine on her new dress. Then they coincidentally bump into one another in the local supermarket and he takes her to dinner. On his first visit to her apartment they jump into bed. Okay for HIM, I suppose. After all, it's Madchen Amick, looking pale and delicious, full mouthed, and eyeball-coagulatingly gorgeous. But what about HER? I mean, whatever happened to family values? No matter. The couple are madly in love and they marry and have two children. Or do they? As one of the guests at a party remarks, the child doesn't look like Spader at all. Amick swoops around in slinky gowns and glamorous hair dos and a Rajah's fortune in jewels, and Spader labors away at the firm, bringing home the shekels to pay for his perfect family.
About half-way through the film, things get a little twisted though. A series of the most unlikely coincidences pop up. Well, let me describe the first one. Spader and Amick are in a fancy restaurant in a city and an older woman approaches their table and says, "Why you're Sissy from Pruneville, Texas! I know you!" (Something like that anyway.) Later, as it turns out, this was no mistake in identity. She really IS that small-town girl. But, then, what is the likelihood of two people who from Pruneville, who already know one another, showing up at the same Japanese restaurant at the same time in the same big city? The likelihood is exactly one chance out of 8,502 to the seventh power.
The same implausibility haunts the rest of what might have been turned into a film that really grabs you, something on the order of "Vertigo", if "Vertigo" had been shoddier and less demanding of its audience. In this case, we have -- here comes a spoiler -- we have Madchen Amick who has reinvented herself in order to marry a rich WASP who supports her while she indulges her sexual appetites and other sociopathic impulses. It takes Spader a couple of years to twig. When he finally penetrates all of her intrigues and confronts her, she taunts him until he belts her for the first and only time, which is what she's been waiting for.
She calls in her psychiatrist and the police, exhibiting bruises that she seems to have caused herself, and has Spader committed to what is delicately called an "institution". (This is beginning to sound like MY marriage.) Boy, does the writing get sloppy here. Spader is taken by his keepers to a legal hearing at which all of his findings and suspicions are labeled delusions. And Spader is required to do what all sane people in the movies do under similar circumstances. Instead of calmly explaining his position, he goes berserk in court, begins shouting curses, tries to attack his wife, and is hauled away by his keepers.
Actually, the psychiatric hospital is really a pretty nice place compared to some that I've worked in. This one must be private because it looks kind of like a resort spa. In any case, Spader enlists his first wife in a ploy to get Amick to visit him. She does, explaining that she plans to run off with one of her boyfriends, maybe taking the kids with her or possibly just "dumping them". He takes her to a secluded spot on the grounds. (The photography is quite good and the direction not bad.) There, alone, he sensibly explains to her that, since he is now legally insane, he can't be held responsible for anything he does. If he commits a crime, his defense is already prepared, and he'll be out in a year. It doesn't matter what the crime is. He could even strangle her. And he does. The end.
What a waste of material. It's like a half-hour TV show drawn out to an hour and a half with a trick ending tacked on. It COULD have been turned into a much better movie without any loss to its thrill quotient. The reveal is far too sudden. And the climax looks like an idea someone dreamed up while stoned. And there are several "dream" interludes, the points of which managed to escape me. (My dreams are splotchy and not half so neatly organized.) Spader does fairly well in his role. He's best at looking quizzically at someone, at listening, not projecting rage. He did a fine job at posing as a cooperative listener in "Wolf". Madchen Amick is stunning but illustrates the limits of her range as an actress. Larry Williams, as a weak friend of Spader's, talks fast but comes across more as a self-indulgent idiot than a good pal.
It's not an insulting film. It's just that it barely reaches the bar it set for itself, and that was pretty low to begin with. There are some good scenes in it, and the idea is solid, but this is a script that really did need a doctor.
A wonderful, overlooked suspense film
briscojr13 October 2000
It's too bad that bigger budget Hollywood fare often obscures movies that are far better such as this. I wasn't expecting a whole lot from this film as I'd not heard much about it, but was totally captivated by it.
The performances from James Spader and the achingly beautiful Mädchen Amick are first rate, and the script is flawless. A lot of the plot feels like a rehash of Hitchcock, but it's done incredibly well, and hey, if you're going to steal from someone, might as well steal from the best.
The twists and turns really work, and take the viewer along for the ride as well. You'll find your own mind working along with the script, trying to unravel the mystery.
It's a shame this film didn't receive more publicity, as all the elements are there for this to have been a real hit. Instead, it remains one of my favorite little gems of a film... one of those that few people know about, but when they see it they think it's a great film as well.
An added bonus is that the home video version contains a few minutes of extra "steamy" scenes that were cut from theaters.
I think this film is an underappreciated modern-day classic, and I urge everyone to check it out.
The performances from James Spader and the achingly beautiful Mädchen Amick are first rate, and the script is flawless. A lot of the plot feels like a rehash of Hitchcock, but it's done incredibly well, and hey, if you're going to steal from someone, might as well steal from the best.
The twists and turns really work, and take the viewer along for the ride as well. You'll find your own mind working along with the script, trying to unravel the mystery.
It's a shame this film didn't receive more publicity, as all the elements are there for this to have been a real hit. Instead, it remains one of my favorite little gems of a film... one of those that few people know about, but when they see it they think it's a great film as well.
An added bonus is that the home video version contains a few minutes of extra "steamy" scenes that were cut from theaters.
I think this film is an underappreciated modern-day classic, and I urge everyone to check it out.
Great-looking stars in a thoroughly predictable film.
gridoon3 May 2004
Another one of those "if you've seen the video cover, you've seen the movie" thrillers. Quite honestly, I can't understand where some people saw the "twists" here; "Dream Lover" is as predictable as yesterday's news and as obvious as its overwrought dream scenes. Essentially this is nothing more than a more expensive, better acted and directed version of those Shannon Tweed/Andrew Stevens straight-to-video soft-core thrillers. But Spader and Amick do make an attractive couple, and there are some genuinely erotic moments in the early parts of the film, so as long as you know why you're watching the film (it's certainly not for the "twists"), you'll probably be satisfied. (**1/2)
I don't feel sedated.....
FlashCallahan19 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Ray is the owner of a prosperous architect company. However, he has recently gone through a very painful divorce.
His friends try to cheer him up by showing him the positive sides of being single but for Ray marriage and stability is just too important.
But when he meets Lena his gloom is quickly forgotten. She is beautiful, sensual, mysterious and he is drawn to her like a moth to a candle.
They marry quickly, have their first child and Ray lives in a total bliss.
But then strange incidents occur which shed some light on Lena's background.
Ray slowly realises that he hardly knows anything about her at all....
For once James spader plays a decent character whose misfortunes have nothing to do with him. Them there's the rest of the movie, which was made on the back end of all those psycho movies (single white female, unlawful entry etc) and it really shows.
It's as if the makers of the film have chucked everything they can at the wall of adult drama and sees what sticks. Nothing really does.
Amick is okay to begin with, but hen she just goes way over the top it's almost border-lining pantomime.
It's all very yuppie and snobbishly made, almost as if it was made for the middle classes, but I hated the fact that they did this, I don't live like that, and why do all these things happen to stupidly rich people.
If you are a Spader fan, it's worth watching, he is good, but for anyone else, it's a mess. And for a film in this sub genre, it's got one of the worst endings ever.
It's literally 'is that really the end?'
His friends try to cheer him up by showing him the positive sides of being single but for Ray marriage and stability is just too important.
But when he meets Lena his gloom is quickly forgotten. She is beautiful, sensual, mysterious and he is drawn to her like a moth to a candle.
They marry quickly, have their first child and Ray lives in a total bliss.
But then strange incidents occur which shed some light on Lena's background.
Ray slowly realises that he hardly knows anything about her at all....
For once James spader plays a decent character whose misfortunes have nothing to do with him. Them there's the rest of the movie, which was made on the back end of all those psycho movies (single white female, unlawful entry etc) and it really shows.
It's as if the makers of the film have chucked everything they can at the wall of adult drama and sees what sticks. Nothing really does.
Amick is okay to begin with, but hen she just goes way over the top it's almost border-lining pantomime.
It's all very yuppie and snobbishly made, almost as if it was made for the middle classes, but I hated the fact that they did this, I don't live like that, and why do all these things happen to stupidly rich people.
If you are a Spader fan, it's worth watching, he is good, but for anyone else, it's a mess. And for a film in this sub genre, it's got one of the worst endings ever.
It's literally 'is that really the end?'
Great acting and atmosphere, with plot twists right till the end
eulogy15 December 1999
Slickly made overall. Great acting, interesting characters and a tight plot that keeps twisting right through the very end. I highly recommend this film for anyone looking for a psychological thriller. It'll help if you like James Spader, as he is the protagonist. The movie does a great job of being unpredictable. Don't miss this one!
Do you really know the one you love?
PredragReviews4 May 2016
The strenghts of this underrated and rather unknown movie are especially the outstanding performances by James Spader (who is great as usual) and Maedchen Amick who for the first time really shows how much sex-appeal she's got. Furthermore she's completely believable in this role as a beautiful, nontransparent and sort of crazy young woman.
The problem of this movie is that it goes on too long especially after Spader's and Amick's characters meet and fall in love. For this reason the tension decreases a little bit towards the end. Another weakness is the ending which is not completely satisfying since it leaves the viewer with quite a strange feeling. Nevertheless "Dream Lover" is a smart and extremely sexy and well-acted film - that's why you won't regret watching it.
Overall rating: 7 out of 10.
The problem of this movie is that it goes on too long especially after Spader's and Amick's characters meet and fall in love. For this reason the tension decreases a little bit towards the end. Another weakness is the ending which is not completely satisfying since it leaves the viewer with quite a strange feeling. Nevertheless "Dream Lover" is a smart and extremely sexy and well-acted film - that's why you won't regret watching it.
Overall rating: 7 out of 10.
Boy, there's an original title!
moonspinner551 May 2006
James Spader playing yet another yuppie dullard, this time entering into a marriage with a mysterious, oddly detached young woman who has a hidden agenda (never mind that it takes her two babies and many years to carry it out). Threadbare thriller with a ridiculous plot-twist midway through, uninteresting characters, sterile atmosphere and a thin, colorless cast. The dream sequences themselves, set in a gaudy-wicked carnival, are visually striking but have little-to-zero connection to what's going on in the story. A half-baked concoction; dream love is one thing, but this film has no dream logic. *1/2 from ****
The Dream Girl Turns Into Nightmare
Chrysanthepop9 April 2011
After an intense divorce, Ray accidentally bumps into the beautiful Lena at an art gallery. While their first encounter is unpleasant, subsequent meetings result in a romantic relationship that soon turns into a marriage with children. Nearly two years, into their marriage Ray begins to discover that Lena isn't the person he thought she was. Secrets begin to unravel and as Ray begins to discover the truth, Lena has an alternate plan for him.
Nicholas Kazan's 'Dream Lover' mainly focuses on the relationship between Ray and Lena. Initially, it may give the impression of being just another 'relationship thriller' but the film does succeed in creating a tense atmosphere especially as Ray becomes more and more suspicious of his wife. The director and actors already hint from the very beginning of Ray and Lena's relationship that something is not quite right.
I felt the story itself was at a disadvantage mostly because not enough background was provided on Lena. As a result of which much of the character remains a question mark.
'Dream Lover' is executed brilliantly. The dream sequences were excellently shot as it successfully creates a surreal, scary and colourful world. The cinematography is wonderful particularly in the way it captures the interiors of Ray's house and background score is beautiful.
James Spader and Mädchen Amick are in top form. Spader displays Ray's vulnerability, humbleness and strength with conviction while Amick's luring beauty and restraint make her just right for the part. The rest of the cast does a fine job in providing support.
'Dream Lover' is pretty much about Ray's illusion in finding the perfect partner. He thought he had already found her once and lost her (the divorce) but after meeting Lena he's convinced that she is her. This may not be everyone's kind of film but 'Dream
Lover' is more about the intensity and mystery of the relationship than the actual story.
Nicholas Kazan's 'Dream Lover' mainly focuses on the relationship between Ray and Lena. Initially, it may give the impression of being just another 'relationship thriller' but the film does succeed in creating a tense atmosphere especially as Ray becomes more and more suspicious of his wife. The director and actors already hint from the very beginning of Ray and Lena's relationship that something is not quite right.
I felt the story itself was at a disadvantage mostly because not enough background was provided on Lena. As a result of which much of the character remains a question mark.
'Dream Lover' is executed brilliantly. The dream sequences were excellently shot as it successfully creates a surreal, scary and colourful world. The cinematography is wonderful particularly in the way it captures the interiors of Ray's house and background score is beautiful.
James Spader and Mädchen Amick are in top form. Spader displays Ray's vulnerability, humbleness and strength with conviction while Amick's luring beauty and restraint make her just right for the part. The rest of the cast does a fine job in providing support.
'Dream Lover' is pretty much about Ray's illusion in finding the perfect partner. He thought he had already found her once and lost her (the divorce) but after meeting Lena he's convinced that she is her. This may not be everyone's kind of film but 'Dream
Lover' is more about the intensity and mystery of the relationship than the actual story.
Madchem Amick is a " Hottie " as Black Widow " Lena "
paris_whitney_hilton_nyc23 August 2008
I love sexy femme fatale movies in general .i probably enjoyed Dream Lover more than i should have . i recently saw it on cable but missed the first 10 minutes . i was able to catch it again from the beginning . there were many flaws in the script to be sure . the movie kept my interest throughout but eventually fell apart toward the finale . i would have liked to have known more about the main character Lena Mathers as the plotting perfect wife from hell . silly over simplistic unsatisfactory ending . this film is more of a mystery than a thriller . i enjoyed the hot love making scenes . i bet there were a few alternate endings to Dream Lover but they decided to take the easy way out . if you like femme fatale movies just as much as i do rent Bodyheat , Basic Instict , Fatal Attraction ,and Single White Female . Dream Lover is an OK movie to catch on cable or DVD . almost " Hot "! ......... P.W.H.
I was expecting much less.
tlharrison-5954614 May 2021
I threw this on to have it play in the background, expecting it wouldn't be very good. I was expecting something akin to a Lifetime Original. I wish I would have paid more attention to the beginning of the movie because it was surprisingly good. Spader and Amick both did a great job in this movie. Maybe it's because I wasn't closely watching the first twenty minutes or so, but I feel the ending could have gone on a bit longer. It felt as though the movie ended rather abruptly but again, that could be because I didn't watch it closely.
Pretty decent thriller
hawktwo22 March 2015
I picked this to watch and was immediately caught up in the movie. The acting is top notch. Good to see Bess Armstrong and Larry Miller. Madchen Amick did a wonderful job playing the wife and mother.
The movie belongs to James Spader. He sometimes smirks too much or acts like a smarty pants. Here he realistically plays a new husband and father gradually coming to terms with a bad situation.
The plot is tight; it moves along and the characters are well written and keep our interest.
I was wondering why James Spaders hair seemed painted or fakey or plastic-y. I thought I had forgotten what the hair styles back then looked like. There was a carnival setting that opened the movie and reappeared several more times before showing up at the end. I guess the carnival may be an attempt to show a chorus off to the side making commentary on the plot. It was interesting but seemed slightly off.
The movie belongs to James Spader. He sometimes smirks too much or acts like a smarty pants. Here he realistically plays a new husband and father gradually coming to terms with a bad situation.
The plot is tight; it moves along and the characters are well written and keep our interest.
I was wondering why James Spaders hair seemed painted or fakey or plastic-y. I thought I had forgotten what the hair styles back then looked like. There was a carnival setting that opened the movie and reappeared several more times before showing up at the end. I guess the carnival may be an attempt to show a chorus off to the side making commentary on the plot. It was interesting but seemed slightly off.
A silly film
PaulW-717 November 2000
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILER ALERT I saw this film on television last night, and I wasted a couple of hours when I could have been enjoying myself. Previous reviewers have compared this film to Hitchcock. This is a travesty. Hitchcock made his plot twists appear believable, the twists in this film just seem silly. How at the end we are expected to believe that an architect who had displayed no signs of instability at work could be committed to a mental hospital on the basis of one untypical violent outburst buy a woman who had previously displayed, on several occasions, deceitful behaviour in the presence of several witnesses, is beyond me. Also do you think that a man who totally lost it in front of the judge at his hearing, could then fake insanity and sedation over an extended period, in the presence of trained psychiatric nurses. Come off it,
Quite underrated.
navin_322-128 March 2011
Dream Lover has something in it for everyone. Right from the chemistry between the two central characters, to how the truth is uncovered and the twists and turns leading to the climax. As the movie unfolds, the viewer begins to realize the hidden agenda, motives and manipulation involved. Excellent performances by James Spader and Madchen Amick backed by a decent script, direction and dialogue make this one of my all time favourites. Its a movie which makes you realize that people aren't always what they seem to be and how certain events in Life do not always have to be a coincidence. In my book, Dream Lover is quite underrated and deserves better.
It's just a movie, but...
jaybsigel23 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
There were many plot failures, which make the entire story impossible in this country:
As an emergency physician, I know that it is very difficult to get someone involuntarily committed, even after a failed suicide attempt. Spouse abuse is not a reason for psychiatric hospitalization. It takes more than one physician to commit and, by law, one cannot be confined over 72 hours without a hearing. Voluntary commitments are much easier and patients can stay as long as they and their insurance allow, also assuming that the psychiatrist says that it is still necessary. Patients cannot be medicated against their will. Objecting to one's incarceration is not a sign of insanity nor is demonstrating hostility at a sanity hearing. The insanity question is not whether someone is mentally ill, but whether someone is a danger to him/herself or others and doesn't comprehend his/her actions, doesn't comprehend right from wrong. Any half-competent psychiatrist would know that Ray was not insane. It wouldn't matter what her psychiatrist said because he wasn't Ray's psychiatrist.
At Ray's hearing, his legal representation was incompetent. It was apparent that his lawyer didn't believe him. Bruises in themselves are not evidence unless someone witnessed how they occurred. There was no attempt to investigate who Sissy really was, where she came from, her hotel bills and so on.
Attorney-client privilege doesn't keep one's lawyer from telling police about a conspiracy to kill someone, assuming that's what Ray whispered to his ex-wife/new attorney. Killing someone while declared insane only theoretically gets you a get-out-of-jail card when you are later on declared no longer insane. In the meantime, what would happen to his business, his living expenses and so on? (A related plot device is hit-man with benign brain tumor kills his intended target and then attributes his behavior to the tumor.)
The movie's moral is never marry someone just because of their looks or because of great sex. Learn who they are first, take your time before you tie the knot, because it's a legal contract that is difficult and expensive to break. If there are significant assets to be brought in, then a prenuptial agreement makes a great deal of sense.
Other than that, the movie was very entertaining assuming you don't think too much about the ridiculous stuff.
As an emergency physician, I know that it is very difficult to get someone involuntarily committed, even after a failed suicide attempt. Spouse abuse is not a reason for psychiatric hospitalization. It takes more than one physician to commit and, by law, one cannot be confined over 72 hours without a hearing. Voluntary commitments are much easier and patients can stay as long as they and their insurance allow, also assuming that the psychiatrist says that it is still necessary. Patients cannot be medicated against their will. Objecting to one's incarceration is not a sign of insanity nor is demonstrating hostility at a sanity hearing. The insanity question is not whether someone is mentally ill, but whether someone is a danger to him/herself or others and doesn't comprehend his/her actions, doesn't comprehend right from wrong. Any half-competent psychiatrist would know that Ray was not insane. It wouldn't matter what her psychiatrist said because he wasn't Ray's psychiatrist.
At Ray's hearing, his legal representation was incompetent. It was apparent that his lawyer didn't believe him. Bruises in themselves are not evidence unless someone witnessed how they occurred. There was no attempt to investigate who Sissy really was, where she came from, her hotel bills and so on.
Attorney-client privilege doesn't keep one's lawyer from telling police about a conspiracy to kill someone, assuming that's what Ray whispered to his ex-wife/new attorney. Killing someone while declared insane only theoretically gets you a get-out-of-jail card when you are later on declared no longer insane. In the meantime, what would happen to his business, his living expenses and so on? (A related plot device is hit-man with benign brain tumor kills his intended target and then attributes his behavior to the tumor.)
The movie's moral is never marry someone just because of their looks or because of great sex. Learn who they are first, take your time before you tie the knot, because it's a legal contract that is difficult and expensive to break. If there are significant assets to be brought in, then a prenuptial agreement makes a great deal of sense.
Other than that, the movie was very entertaining assuming you don't think too much about the ridiculous stuff.
A man peels layer after layer from his seemingly perfect wife, to discover she's not what he thinks.
JulietV11 December 1998
Aesthetically beautiful to watch, this Hitchcock-type thriller is facsinating. A husband discovers that his gorgeous, seemingly perfect "Dream Lover" of a wife has many hidden secrets, and could turn out to be more of a Nightmare.
Okay drama for sofa spuds
=G=22 July 2002
In "Dream Lover", a prosperous architect (Spader) marries a too-good-to-be-true woman (Amick) and gets more than he bargained for and possibly more than he can handle. Done as a darkish comedy or light drama, this psycho-suspense flick features an interesting premise, okay performances by the principals, some blatant silliness compliments of Miller, and lots of semiserious drama. Full of plot holes and improbabilities, be sure to dumb yourself down for "Dream Lover", stick around for the punchline ending, and enjoy. (C+)
Hitchcock wannabee is too high praise.
dave947033 February 2000
I think that people who refer to Hitchcock in attempting to identify a movie's style are stealing a lazy beat from movie industry copywriters, who desperately want readers to think the movie will produce the same kind of satisfaction that Hitchcock himself could generate. Well that's not how it actually works. There are Hitchcock homagers, hard to do and a respectable bunch (in that they acknowledge their debt--Stanley Donen, Brian DePalma), Hitchcock wannabees (too numerous to mention), and Hitchcock. Saying that a director has produced a Hitchcock-like movie is like saying a playwright has produced a Shakespeare-like play. Just resist the temptation.
What Hitchcock had going for him is everything Dream Lover lacks. Hitchcock portrayed ordinary people in extraordinary situations. The question he asked himself and his viewers was (when he was at his best), what would you do? Would you consider an offer to safely bump off your difficult spouse? Would you turn in an appealing but obviously disturbed impostor, or instead try to figure out on your own what the real story is? Would you save your country or your loved ones? Could you (forgive and) love someone who prostituted herself for her country? (Well, this last one was rhetorical: of course the answer's yes if the prostitute is Ingrid Bergman.)
What the writer/director presents us with here is: what changes would you go through if you had so little ability to connect to other human beings that you have no clue that the person you married just wanted all along to rip you off and destroy you? I'm being generous here; the film actually fails to thoroughly set Spader up as an emotional cripple, though it takes a feeble stab at it. Kazan Jr. isn't imitating Hitchcock here, but rather Don Segal (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), and without any compensating anti-McCarthyist political subtext. When you leave a good Hitchcock movie, you think, "That could have been me." When you leave Dream Lover, you think, "eight bucks, and they said it was Hitchcock-like!
p.s. For the commenter who was impressed by the movie's "paranoia is a heightened state of awareness" line: that's the signature statement of the Scottish (anti-)pyschiatrist R.D. Laing from the '70s. Great guy.
What Hitchcock had going for him is everything Dream Lover lacks. Hitchcock portrayed ordinary people in extraordinary situations. The question he asked himself and his viewers was (when he was at his best), what would you do? Would you consider an offer to safely bump off your difficult spouse? Would you turn in an appealing but obviously disturbed impostor, or instead try to figure out on your own what the real story is? Would you save your country or your loved ones? Could you (forgive and) love someone who prostituted herself for her country? (Well, this last one was rhetorical: of course the answer's yes if the prostitute is Ingrid Bergman.)
What the writer/director presents us with here is: what changes would you go through if you had so little ability to connect to other human beings that you have no clue that the person you married just wanted all along to rip you off and destroy you? I'm being generous here; the film actually fails to thoroughly set Spader up as an emotional cripple, though it takes a feeble stab at it. Kazan Jr. isn't imitating Hitchcock here, but rather Don Segal (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), and without any compensating anti-McCarthyist political subtext. When you leave a good Hitchcock movie, you think, "That could have been me." When you leave Dream Lover, you think, "eight bucks, and they said it was Hitchcock-like!
p.s. For the commenter who was impressed by the movie's "paranoia is a heightened state of awareness" line: that's the signature statement of the Scottish (anti-)pyschiatrist R.D. Laing from the '70s. Great guy.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
