What Dreams May Come (1998)

Chris Nielsen dies in car crash one night, and then goes to Heaven. Later, his widow Annie commits suicide, unable to overcome her loss. Chris descends into 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

Chris Nielsen's fictional grave is located in Mount View Cemetery in Oakland, California. Near the scene's filming location is a real gravesite for an Anna Nielsen and her husband.

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Goofs

When the little girl gives half her sandwich to the little boy on the dock, he takes the other half, and hands the first one back to her. As he hands it over, there is a bite missing in the middle. When she goes to eat it, it is whole.

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Quotes

The Tracker: You'll hear a lot of smart stuff around here.It's usually right.Don't let it screw you 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

References Heavy Metal (1981)

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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

Touching and almost perfect

First, I won't keep it a secret: I am a great Robin Williams fan and I think that this is one of his best movies of all his career. I was bowled over by the story and the colours of the paintings - very very vibrant.

Robin Williams plays a man with a perfect personal life. Sadly, his two children die in an accident, and he dies in a car crash and with the help of a custodian angel (played well by Cuba Gooding jr.) travels in a long trek between Heaven and Hell through his wife's paintings, and along the way he discovers some experiences and a tracker (Max Von Sydow) that helps him in the quest for his wife (that ended in Hell after suicide). I won't spoil the end... just see the film by yourself and have a treat!

Everything in this movie is great: Williams' performance is majestic beyond words, as a man that after death searches his beloved wife, and also Gooding jr and Von Sydow were great in their roles. The colours of the paintings were very vibrant (a visual eye candy for art lovers like me), and the soundtrack was also good.

Overall, nearly a masterpiece and one of Robin Williams' best movies ever! And if you don't like this movie you must be dead or should go to a psychiatrist.

P.S. I cried a bit in some points and you should have some hankerchief near you for the sad moments.