What Dreams May Come (1998)

Chris Nielsen goes to Heaven after to die in a night car crash. When time later he learns that his wife and recently widow Annie commits suicide, he crosses Hell to save her.

Director:

Vincent Ward

Writers:

Richard Matheson (novel), Ronald Bass (screenplay) (as Ron Bass)

Stars:

Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., Annabella Sciorra

Won 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robin Williams	...	Chris Nielsen
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Albert Lewis
Annabella Sciorra	...	Annie Collins-Nielsen
Max von Sydow	...	The Tracker
Jessica Brooks Grant	...	Marie Nielsen
Josh Paddock	...	Ian Nielsen
Rosalind Chao	...	Leona
Lucinda Jenney	...	Mrs. Jacobs
Maggie McCarthy	...	Stacey Jacobs
Wilma Bonet	...	Angie
Matt Salinger	...	Reverend Hanley
Carin Sprague	...	Best Friend Cindy
June Carryl	...	Woman in Car Accident (as June Lomena)
Paul P. Card IV	...	Paramedic
Werner Herzog	...	Face

Storyline

During a holidays in Switzerland, a young Chris Nielsen meets by chance Annie Collins in a lake when their boats slightly collide. Sharing a snack when they meet a few hours later, Chris and Annie fall in love each other. Marrying quickly, Chris works as pediatrician and Annie as artist painter and art dealer, and they turn in parents of two children, older Ian and elder Marie. But their happy family life torn apart when being Ian and Marie teenagers, a car accident kills both and the nanny who was driving the van where they were. Four years later, Chris and Annie try to restore their life despite the tragedy and celebrate their anniversary when while he returns to home in his car after to end his daily work, Chris witnesses a car accident in a tunnel during a rainy night. Exiting of the car in an attempt to help people, another car crashes against him, hurting severally. Dying in the hospital, Chris turns in a ghost around his house and his recently widowed Annie, trying tell her ...

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Plot Keywords:

heaven | soul mate | afterlife | reference to william shakespeare | reference to shakespeare's hamlet | 

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Taglines:

After life there is more. The end is just the beginning.

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements involving death, some disturbing images and language

Details

Country:

USA New Zealand

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 October 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Más allá de los sueños

Filming Locations:

Ross, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$85,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,833,592, 4 October 1998, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$55,485,043

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$71,485,043

Company Credits

Production Co:

Polygram Filmed Entertainment,Interscope Communications,Metafilmics

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robin Williams and Max von Sydow previously appeared in Awakenings (1990). In both films, Williams played a doctor while Sydow played a doctors' professor.

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Goofs

When the bird drops paint on Chris, the shot from above shows it hitting the top of his head and his shoulder. When the angle changes, the paint is on the side of his face and his shoulder, with none on top of his head.

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Quotes

Albert: You don't understand.
Chris Nielsen: It's not about understanding... it's about *not* giving up!

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Crazy Credits

Disclaimer after the end credits: "The persons and events in this production are fictitious. No similarity to actual persons, living, dead or reincarnated is intended or should be inferred."

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Alternate Versions

The DVD gives an alternative ending in which the kids (Ian & Marie) come to see Annie and Chris. They ask her if she wants to see them as Chris saw them. She says yes and they become Albert and Leona. They ask if she wants them to stay as they are or go back to being the kids. She says she knows who they are and should stay the same. Then Annie says she has to leave. This is the crucial point that wasn't in the original because Leona says those who commit suicide have to go back and be reincarnated. Chris says he wants to go back and Albert responds we figured that, a couple of star crossed lovers. He then says that Chris will meet Annie in Sri Lanka where Annie will die in his arms and he will die 40 years after that. Then there is a montage of Annie and Chris being born ending with side by side pictures of two new born babies.

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Connections

Referenced in Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction (2009)

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Soundtracks

Hymn II, from Three Sacred Hymns
Composed by Alfred Shnitke
Performed by The Slavyanka Chorus and The San Francisco Girls Chorus
Conducted by Dr. Sharon J. Paul

User Reviews

tear-jerker

I thought this movie was EXCELLENT the first time I saw it about 3 years ago and I saw it twice since. I bought the DVD just a few days ago and watched it again tonight and I cried so much. It is an amazing movie that really has you on your seat wondering what will happen next. It is neat to see the possible reality of one's "after-life" in heaven or hell. It makes you want to love those whom you love more and more every day and make sure that they know it. I was watching it tonight with my fiancé and could not keep the tears from coming....even after the movie I was crying because I was thinking about how I would feel if I lost him. I am not one to cry much, especially when I'm watching a movie. But this movie was a definite tear-jerker and an excellent must-see film! :o)