Dear Dictator (2017)

When political turmoil forces a British-Caribbean dictator to flee his island nation, he seeks refuge and hides with a rebellious teenage girl in suburban America, and ends up teaching the young teen how to start a revolution and overthrow the "mean girls" at her high school.

Directors:

Lisa Addario, Joe Syracuse

Writers:

Lisa Addario, Joe Syracuse

Stars:

Michael Caine, Odeya Rush, Katie Holmes

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Caine	...	General Anton Vincent
Odeya Rush	...	Tatiana Mills
Katie Holmes	...	Darlene Mills
Seth Green	...	Dr. Charles Seaver
Jason Biggs	...	Mr. Spines
Adrian Voo	...	Neighbor
Jackson Beard	...	Denny
Jordyn Cavros	...	Gigi
Fish Myrr	...	Sarvia
Hannah Joy Brown	...	Chivas
Yvette Parish	...	Jaxi (as Chrislyn Williams)
Jacob Grodnik	...	Teddy
Jay Willick	...	Det. Diggs
Rosemberg Salgado	...	Colonel
Dana Joyce Schiller	...	Detective Spano

Storyline

When political turmoil forces a British-Caribbean dictator to flee his island nation, he seeks refuge and hides with a rebellious teenage girl in suburban America, and ends up teaching the young teen how to start a revolution and overthrow the "mean girls" at her high school.

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Plot Keywords:

garage | armband | high school | mother | gardener | 

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Taglines:

She thought she was a rebel...Until she met a real one

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

General Anton Vincent's (Sir Michael Caine's) fictional national motto is "Homeland or Death". This is a literal translation from Spanish "Patria o Muerte", which was (and is) Cuban national motto under Fidel Castro. The Cuban Communist regime, with its climate, tropical location, uniforms, and even Anton's appearance, is heavily referenced in this movie.

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Goofs

When Anton Vincent cooks dinner to Tatiana and her mother, he says the dish is "Mole Maria". Actually, there is no such a thing: "Mole Maria" is a popular Mexican trademark for a commercial mole paste.

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Quotes

Tatiana Mills: I feel like one of your soldiers, wounded in battle.
General Anton Vincent: [tending to her elbow] You're not a foot soldier. You're a commander.
Tatiana Mills: Commander of what? Loserville?
General Anton Vincent: Over your world, you have power. But you don't know how to wield it. Your classmates are bourgeoisie. You're proletariat. You must rise up and conquer.
Tatiana Mills: It's easy for you to say, you don't go to Seely.

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Connections

References The Hunger Games (2012)

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Soundtracks

Rebel Girl
Performed by Bikini Kill

User Reviews

Enjoyed it

Michael Caine plays Anton Vincent, a dictator of a unnamed country, who is overthrown in a coup d'etat, escapes to America and secretly takes refuge in the home of his teenage pen-pal Tatiana (Odeya Rush) and her mother Darlene (Katie Holmes).

I came across this film by accident, was intrigued by its synopsis, so I decided to give it a try and was pleasantly surprised.

The film is not a blockbuster, it is low budget, and low on action, but it is well paced and enjoyable with good performances by its main stars. This is one to watch when you want a gentle film to fill an hour and a half of your time.

Not for everyone maybe, especially action lovers, but well worth a watch.

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 March 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dear Dictator

Filming Locations:

Savannah, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,700,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,759

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hector Coup, Defiant Pictures, Aloe Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color