Sweet Dreams (2000) User Reviews

I liked this movie.

[design_id · 10/10 · 21 March 2005]

"Sweet Dreams" is very realistically shot. Aesthetics of documentary has found its emotional and plastic realization in artistic structure of the film. And this structure does not exist by itself, but in accordance with overall dramaturgic idea. Presentation of particularities and details of life and environment is intended to follow one higher goal, that is to show heroes of the movie in an extreme situation of their tragedy. Moreover, the whole film goes without dialogs. It is based on sounds, noises and music. And they are sufficient because words are not needed. It is like looking at a picture of a good painter and listening real music. We find ourselves in the midst of images that excite us and share feelings with us. "Sweet Dreams" is watched in one breath, while minor dramaturgic mistakes don't diminish merits of the film as a whole. Sergei Davidoff, as director managed to achieve the most important thing – to keep the audience strained, make them think and share feelings with heroes of the movie

The best film (of this genre)

[john_collary · 9/10 · 24 March 2005]

September the 23rd, attending The Pixie Awards ceremony in Hollywood, I've seen a short clip from "Sweet Dreams" (winner in the "best actor" category). Then I watched the whole film on-line. And I cried. Then I watched it again. And cried again. It is a marvelous piece of work. Well done and professional, but the most important is the emotions that this film evoke. The actor doesn't say one single word during the whole film, yet the acting is so powerful. I was amazed by the quality, maturity of the filmmakers, the acting... everything. Tragic yet poetic film. Great great work. The best film (of this genre) that I've watched on the Internet.

A truly beautiful short film

[elarry-1 · 10/10 · 22 August 2008]

A truly beautiful short film. The performances given by the characters are outstanding. Some of the camera work and editing are superb.

The other fascinating point about this movie is its simplicity. It is essentially played out on one set and told like it is in real time, but it never really drags and it always finds a way of keeping your interest. The director creates an uneasy tension throughout this film that gnaws at you, it has a walloping impact that lingers with you for days.

This is a great story, skillfully directed with astonishing performances, in specially from the little boy.

Wonderful film!

[darskayairina · 9/10 · 24 January 2005]

Having watched the film "Sweet Dreams", I made the following conclusions: it is evident the young director possesses the cinema's plasticity easily and freely and is able to create the emotional rich artistic atmosphere; when an exclamation escapes from him, it is not a bare pathetic element, but a sincere word which one wants to repeat. We can refer freely his movie to such an exclamation. He doesn't establish the reality, but transforms it to the truth which he professes, as a human being and an artist, remaining faithful to the realities of life, time, human psychology. As for the director's technique and also the professionalism of cast and musical decision of the film, there are no any grudges; the same refers to the theater play. This gives us a hope that the talent of the young director will be growing stronger subject to the good quality dramatical material of the future works and I'm sure he will gladden us with the new interesting movies.

Oscar material

[steven-275 · 9/10 · 21 March 2005]

Black and white film a-la Andrei Tarkovski, very much reminded me of "Ivan's Childhood" by the famed Russian director Andrei Trakovski. The concept of the picture is unjustifiably severe attitude of parents towards their children with tragic consequences. Film's director in his movie created his own cinematographic world with ease. He is not just showing reality, but stays true to life, time, human mentality, he transforms it into that kind of truth that he believes in as a person and artist. It gives us hope that with a good dramaturgy material for the following work, talent of this young director will gain momentum, and I'm sure we will enjoy his new interesting feature films. Overall I truly believe this picture is Oscar material.

Excellent film!

[hanson-18 · 10/10 · 27 April 2005]

Excellent film! I've seen it at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. There were many more films that I've watched during my stay at the festival but the images of this film just stuck with me for a long time after the festival's end. Shot in black and white and developed probably in color cause the images came out somehow sepia-brown. No dialog whatsoever, very intense. It reminded me of the best European cinema before the digital age. Such an emotional labyrinth! I truly believe this film deserves an Oscar and I'm surprised that it hasn't been nominated. A true gem of film-making. The boy is excellent, cinematography is superb and the director did an amazing job. 10 out of 10!!!

I'm really impressed!

[wooland7 · 10/10 · 24 March 2005]

I've seen this film at The Sundance Film Festival and I couldn't get it out of my head for two weeks. A haunting story with no dialog, only music, sound, emotion, light. The cake eating scene was a most vivid description of all temptation and sin. For me it was the most painful sequence. The beauty of this work is with certainty breathtaking, simplistic yet shows an emotional labyrinth. The intimacy and lack there of between father and son captured in this work is riveting. Great work! Great film-making! Haunting, dramatic, a great piece of film. The director effectively captured one of the worst tragedies of human kind. I was left speechless for at least 5 minutes after the film. BRAVO! Wish to see more of this director's work.

black & white surprise

[fortransan · 8/10 · 19 March 2006]

Great piece of work, black and white sepia with color dream sequences, not one single word said by the main character, nevertheless powerful acting. I've seen this short film two times (at Sundance film festival and at Palm Springs film festival), very emotional and powerful, images stays with you for several days after watching it. That's classic cinema at its best. Everyone can associate with this little boy eating the cake and then taking a beating, then running away from home, then coming back to be with his parents for Christmas. But when he comes back home, he gets a different kind of Christmas present. I would definitely recommend it to everyone. Eight stars out of ten. Hope to see more from this talented filmmaker.

Great short film

[million71 · 9/10 · 24 October 2006]

Best short film I've seen in a long time. Done in black and white with no dialog whatsoever this short film nevertheless keep you in suspense all the way through. It is about a little kid who's been abused by his parents. Just before Christmas he runs away to the nearby forest. A couple days later, hungry and exausted, he comes back home and takes a cruel beating from his own mother. In the end the kid commits suicide. The child actor is great, directing is wonderful, cinematography - excellent. I'll give it 9 out of 10 just because of some minor faults (probably due to a small budget) in the soundtrack, other then that this film is just really really amazing.