339 reviews
The first eighty percent of this film was excellent - it felt like the best Stephen King story that King didn't write. The slow destruction of the life of an ordinary man for reasons which were completely outside his control was well-conceived, well-plotted and well acted. Nicholas Cage's performance was pitch perfect.
To an extent, this film can be seen as a satirical condemnation of social media fame and cancel culture, though that's secondary to the theme of mounting paranoia - both from Prof Matthews and the wider world.
The fact that this film started out as a project of Ari Aster is no surprise, as it has much in common with Beau is Afraid - notably the hapless and powerless central character and some surreal and blackly comic moments.
Then, in the last fifteen minutes or so, the film loses its way. A new element is brought in which pretty much undermines what had gone before. The result wasn't bad, exactly, but seemed to belong in a different film. I think it would've been better if the film had had the courage of its convictions and followed Prof Matthews to his logical fate.
For all that, it's an interesting film, and I would urge you to see it.
To an extent, this film can be seen as a satirical condemnation of social media fame and cancel culture, though that's secondary to the theme of mounting paranoia - both from Prof Matthews and the wider world.
The fact that this film started out as a project of Ari Aster is no surprise, as it has much in common with Beau is Afraid - notably the hapless and powerless central character and some surreal and blackly comic moments.
Then, in the last fifteen minutes or so, the film loses its way. A new element is brought in which pretty much undermines what had gone before. The result wasn't bad, exactly, but seemed to belong in a different film. I think it would've been better if the film had had the courage of its convictions and followed Prof Matthews to his logical fate.
For all that, it's an interesting film, and I would urge you to see it.
Nicolas Cage is an endlessly watchable actor. From 'Moonstruck' and 'Adaptation' to 'Pig,' he has given many startlingly powerful, nuanced performances, that are hard to forget. At the same time, Cage has given many overblown ones, in efforts like 'Vampire's Kiss' and 'Sympathy For The Devil,' which are even harder to forget. Whether understated or over-the-top, Cage is always entertaining, oftentimes making unremarkable films not just watchable, but memorable.
In Kristoffer Borgli's 'Dream Scenario,' Cage plays Paul Matthews, a professor of evolutionary biology at Osler University. A middle-aged, insipid fellow, Paul yearns for recognition. One day, he runs into an old flame, who tells him he has been appearing in her dreams, which she writes an article about. Suddenly hundreds of strangers report seeing Paul in their dreams, and he becomes a global sensation. However, Paul soon learns that fame is fickle, as his life becomes a waking nightmare.
'Dream Scenario' is a funny, interesting film examining multiple themes, though fails to explore all of them thoroughly. As Paul becomes famous, and later infamous, the film satirises the preposterousness of notoriety, how people nowadays become celebrities while doing practically nothing. Although not exactly an original point, Borgli's screenplay navigates this idea in a clever, comedic way. At the same time, the film shows the downsides of fame, skewering cancel culture; revealing how celebrity can transform from adoration to infamy in an instant.
However, as the film progresses, other ideas are introduced, which aren't covered in depth, and the final act underwhelms. Though Borgli's attempts to lampoon the phenomenon of "influencers" provides some laughs, it also distracts from the established narrative. Additionally, the film's supporting charters are rather underwritten, lacking development. Conversely, Paul is an intriguing character, whose massive ego is hidden beneath layers of self-consciousness and doubt. A timid, yet opinionated man, Paul is, to quote Kris Kristofferson, 'a walking contradiction,' and a compelling one at that.
Borgli and cinematographer Benjamin Loeb capture Paul's rise and fall with keen eyes. Shot on 16mm film stock, the visuals are beguiling, mirroring Paul's journey through the tumultuous cycles of fame, as well as contributing to the film's dreamlike atmosphere. They make excellent use of light and colour, as well as subtle distortions and low angles, immersing viewers in the surreal world of the narrative.
Additionally, Borgli's intuitive editing keeps thing cohesive, while also adding to the film's atmosphere. His use of quick cuts in otherwise calm scenes- creating a sense of unease- is reminiscent of the work of Yorgos Lanthimos. Similarly, the dream sequences- particularly in the latter half- are more than mere plot devices; they're visual poetry, weaving symbolism, surreal imagery and emotional subtext seamlessly into the narrative, thanks to Borgli's astute edits.
Furthermore, Owen Pallett's score enhances the film's atmosphere and emotional impact. Talking Heads' 'City of Dreams' is used to particularly strong effect, leaving few viewers with dry eyes as the credits roll. Kaysie Bergens and Natalie Bronfman's costume design effectively contributes to the characters' personalities, while production designer Zosia Mackenzie's canny work amplifies the surreal nature of Paul's experiences.
Cage, however, is all one can think about when the film is over. He delivers a marvellous performance, funny, sad and profoundly realistic. A heightened, deeply insecure man who just wants the world to read his book about ants- which he has yet to write- Cage's Paul is one of his finest cinematic creations, up there with his turn as Charlie and Donald Kaufman in 'Adaptation' and Ben Sanderson in 'Leaving Las Vegas.' Multifaceted, funny, memorable; it's classic Cage.
While his supporting cast all do fine work- Julianne Nicholson, Michael Cera, Tim Meadows and Dylan Gelula especially- they aren't given substantial material to work with. Nicholson is particularly good in the underwritten role of Paul's wife, demonstrating remarkable emotional depth. Cera is hilarious in the all too small part of Trent, the head of a viral marketing firm, while Meadows and Gelula both do stellar work as the Dean of Osler University and Trent's assistant Molly, respectively.
Kristoffer Borgli's 'Dream Scenario' is an entertaining film, though has its issues. While the conceit is novel, Borgli's examination of themes like cancel culture and fame- though funny- aren't particularly original. However, the cinematography is striking, the score stirring and the whole affair edited astutely. Nicolas Cage is absolutely fantastic, while his co-stars all do fine work in underwritten roles- Julianne Nicholson especially. Although 'Dream Scenario' might not be perfect, it's definitely not a nightmare, and more proof that Cage is an endlessly watchable actor.
In Kristoffer Borgli's 'Dream Scenario,' Cage plays Paul Matthews, a professor of evolutionary biology at Osler University. A middle-aged, insipid fellow, Paul yearns for recognition. One day, he runs into an old flame, who tells him he has been appearing in her dreams, which she writes an article about. Suddenly hundreds of strangers report seeing Paul in their dreams, and he becomes a global sensation. However, Paul soon learns that fame is fickle, as his life becomes a waking nightmare.
'Dream Scenario' is a funny, interesting film examining multiple themes, though fails to explore all of them thoroughly. As Paul becomes famous, and later infamous, the film satirises the preposterousness of notoriety, how people nowadays become celebrities while doing practically nothing. Although not exactly an original point, Borgli's screenplay navigates this idea in a clever, comedic way. At the same time, the film shows the downsides of fame, skewering cancel culture; revealing how celebrity can transform from adoration to infamy in an instant.
However, as the film progresses, other ideas are introduced, which aren't covered in depth, and the final act underwhelms. Though Borgli's attempts to lampoon the phenomenon of "influencers" provides some laughs, it also distracts from the established narrative. Additionally, the film's supporting charters are rather underwritten, lacking development. Conversely, Paul is an intriguing character, whose massive ego is hidden beneath layers of self-consciousness and doubt. A timid, yet opinionated man, Paul is, to quote Kris Kristofferson, 'a walking contradiction,' and a compelling one at that.
Borgli and cinematographer Benjamin Loeb capture Paul's rise and fall with keen eyes. Shot on 16mm film stock, the visuals are beguiling, mirroring Paul's journey through the tumultuous cycles of fame, as well as contributing to the film's dreamlike atmosphere. They make excellent use of light and colour, as well as subtle distortions and low angles, immersing viewers in the surreal world of the narrative.
Additionally, Borgli's intuitive editing keeps thing cohesive, while also adding to the film's atmosphere. His use of quick cuts in otherwise calm scenes- creating a sense of unease- is reminiscent of the work of Yorgos Lanthimos. Similarly, the dream sequences- particularly in the latter half- are more than mere plot devices; they're visual poetry, weaving symbolism, surreal imagery and emotional subtext seamlessly into the narrative, thanks to Borgli's astute edits.
Furthermore, Owen Pallett's score enhances the film's atmosphere and emotional impact. Talking Heads' 'City of Dreams' is used to particularly strong effect, leaving few viewers with dry eyes as the credits roll. Kaysie Bergens and Natalie Bronfman's costume design effectively contributes to the characters' personalities, while production designer Zosia Mackenzie's canny work amplifies the surreal nature of Paul's experiences.
Cage, however, is all one can think about when the film is over. He delivers a marvellous performance, funny, sad and profoundly realistic. A heightened, deeply insecure man who just wants the world to read his book about ants- which he has yet to write- Cage's Paul is one of his finest cinematic creations, up there with his turn as Charlie and Donald Kaufman in 'Adaptation' and Ben Sanderson in 'Leaving Las Vegas.' Multifaceted, funny, memorable; it's classic Cage.
While his supporting cast all do fine work- Julianne Nicholson, Michael Cera, Tim Meadows and Dylan Gelula especially- they aren't given substantial material to work with. Nicholson is particularly good in the underwritten role of Paul's wife, demonstrating remarkable emotional depth. Cera is hilarious in the all too small part of Trent, the head of a viral marketing firm, while Meadows and Gelula both do stellar work as the Dean of Osler University and Trent's assistant Molly, respectively.
Kristoffer Borgli's 'Dream Scenario' is an entertaining film, though has its issues. While the conceit is novel, Borgli's examination of themes like cancel culture and fame- though funny- aren't particularly original. However, the cinematography is striking, the score stirring and the whole affair edited astutely. Nicolas Cage is absolutely fantastic, while his co-stars all do fine work in underwritten roles- Julianne Nicholson especially. Although 'Dream Scenario' might not be perfect, it's definitely not a nightmare, and more proof that Cage is an endlessly watchable actor.
- reelreviewsandrecommendations
- Jul 1, 2024
- Permalink
Dream Scenario is a really funny look at unexpected fame and how it's impossible to control how others interpret it. A be careful what you wish for story that's a lot stronger when primarily focusing on how fame changes a person than when it delves into cancel culture.
Uncomfortable with how his own image has been interpreted, Nicolas Cage is the ideal person for this. He plays the pitiful nature of Paul beautifully and brings none of the Cage rage he's synonymous with, in a nice change of pace. The film also feels aware of Cage's persona, understanding everything is funnier and weirder because it's Nic Cage specifically.
Kristoffer Borgli's direction really nails the dream sequences in particular. They're very surreal (obviously), brief and when they start to turn into nightmares they really don't hold back on the violence. It also has the second most hilariously awkward sex scene of recent memory, with Beau Is Afraid being number one which is so fitting since Ari Aster is a producer on this.
Uncomfortable with how his own image has been interpreted, Nicolas Cage is the ideal person for this. He plays the pitiful nature of Paul beautifully and brings none of the Cage rage he's synonymous with, in a nice change of pace. The film also feels aware of Cage's persona, understanding everything is funnier and weirder because it's Nic Cage specifically.
Kristoffer Borgli's direction really nails the dream sequences in particular. They're very surreal (obviously), brief and when they start to turn into nightmares they really don't hold back on the violence. It also has the second most hilariously awkward sex scene of recent memory, with Beau Is Afraid being number one which is so fitting since Ari Aster is a producer on this.
First, I recommend going into Dream Scenario knowing as little as possible about the movie. Avoid trailers, even synopses (maybe even this review). Discovering the premise is as enjoyable as the rest of the movie.
But even after being amused by this unique and creative premise, it didn't seem like there was anywhere else for this idea to go. But there's no reason to worry. The directions it takes are just as creative as the premise.
Even though it's very different, this gave me Eternal Sunshine vibes, especially with how original it feels. The humor is fairly dry, which I normally don't like. But it made me laugh a decent amount, usually loudly. And there are a few moments that hit hard.
Nick Cage. Oh Nick Cage. I watch all his movies. Most are bad, but Dream scenario is part of the resurgence (along with Massive Talent). And even though most people just want to see his hilarious freakouts, here he reminds us that he is one of the most talented actors out there. I haven't forgotten. I would love to see it more often.
(1 viewing, 12/22/2023)
But even after being amused by this unique and creative premise, it didn't seem like there was anywhere else for this idea to go. But there's no reason to worry. The directions it takes are just as creative as the premise.
Even though it's very different, this gave me Eternal Sunshine vibes, especially with how original it feels. The humor is fairly dry, which I normally don't like. But it made me laugh a decent amount, usually loudly. And there are a few moments that hit hard.
Nick Cage. Oh Nick Cage. I watch all his movies. Most are bad, but Dream scenario is part of the resurgence (along with Massive Talent). And even though most people just want to see his hilarious freakouts, here he reminds us that he is one of the most talented actors out there. I haven't forgotten. I would love to see it more often.
(1 viewing, 12/22/2023)
After the first half hour of this movie, i thought it was going somewhere amazing, it was funny and clever and nic cage is just really good in the mane role.
But i don't think it did nt he 2nd half of the movie, it kind of faded out, and missed such a massive oppotunity.
It's still a good movie, but it completely went in a different direction in the last half hour than i thought it would. Which was just such a shame.
Such a missed oppotunity in my book, but still worth a watch. When the dreams turn darker i think there was such a great set up for a better last half hour or so. Shame.
Worth watching but didn't reach it's potential.
But i don't think it did nt he 2nd half of the movie, it kind of faded out, and missed such a massive oppotunity.
It's still a good movie, but it completely went in a different direction in the last half hour than i thought it would. Which was just such a shame.
Such a missed oppotunity in my book, but still worth a watch. When the dreams turn darker i think there was such a great set up for a better last half hour or so. Shame.
Worth watching but didn't reach it's potential.
- MikesIDhasbeentaken
- Dec 21, 2023
- Permalink
Horror Comedy? Uhm, yeah, no. Sure, there's a handful of funny moments and some scary stuff but it's far from being a horror comedy. This is a very traditional "Nicolas Cage" drama, through and through. It has an air of humor and awkwardness throughout all of it due to his performance, but overall, there's a bigger picture behind it. Oddly enough, in a lot of ways it felt like a very late companion piece to Cage's performance in The Weather Man, a movie where his character also deals with consequences of fame while dealing with a crumbling family life. The biggest difference is that Dream Scenario leans farther into the consequences of fame that celebrities never asked for and that consumers fail to understand because of the media. This is a very sad and upsetting movie that I would say accurately captures that feeling of not having control of your life. It's definitely among the best films I've seen this year.
- cgearheart
- Nov 23, 2023
- Permalink
- vengeance20
- Nov 10, 2023
- Permalink
Quick Review: My biggest pet peeve in films is dream sequences (I don't even love 'Inception' - don't hurt me). However the way they are done in 'Dream Scenario' was perfect. This film was a blast.
Talk about getting everything out of a concept. The movie starts and you think, okay this is a lot of fun, but where are they going to go from here? Have no fear, they have plenty of tricks up their sleeves and the wild ride continues throughout.
The film is hilarious. It contained some of the biggest theatre laughs I've heard in a long time. But it's more than that too. It actually gets quite touching and sad and has some real thought-provoking stuff going on. This was an excellent film. 8/10.
Talk about getting everything out of a concept. The movie starts and you think, okay this is a lot of fun, but where are they going to go from here? Have no fear, they have plenty of tricks up their sleeves and the wild ride continues throughout.
The film is hilarious. It contained some of the biggest theatre laughs I've heard in a long time. But it's more than that too. It actually gets quite touching and sad and has some real thought-provoking stuff going on. This was an excellent film. 8/10.
- jtindahouse
- Sep 30, 2023
- Permalink
DREAM SCENARIO is a very interesting movie that could generate a lot of post-viewing discussion. It asks some interesting questions about celebrity & "cancel culture." It did occur to me afterwards that the movie is completely ridiculous and posits a scenario that is beyond impossible, and thus, spending a lot of time talking about its implications seems a bit silly. But, I err on the side of it being a worthwhile intellectual exercise. To say nothing of being a terrific showcase for Nicolas Cage.
Cage is Paul Matthews, an aging, balding (and apparently always cold because he wears gigantic, ill-fitting coats throughout the film) tenured professor at a modest college. His students pay little attention to him (even though, to be honest, it seems like he's a more interesting professor than many I experienced myself). He leads a frustrating professional life. Early in the film, he has lunch with an very distant colleague who is preparing to publish a paper that touches on subjects that Matthews worked on decades ago. He feels these topics still somehow belong to him, and wants some credit for the paper. He mentions that he's working on a book on the topic...but it turns out he hasn't actually started writing the thing. It's an idea he has and apparently has had for many years. He's a guy who imagines doing great or interesting things, but it will never happen for him. We meet his loving wife (Julianne Nicholson, always under-rated) and his doting daughters. From the viewer's perspective, he's a bit of schlub. An uninspiring instructor, eaten up by his own failures, and sadly unable to see that his great family really means he's got it pretty darn good. Nice house. Nice kids. Nice wife.
But he's a bit clueless. And when he suddenly starts appearing in the dreams of millions of people around the world, he becomes a clueless celebrity (or at least, cultural phenomena). His classroom is full of people who want a selfie with him. He's on the news. He's written about. He's beloved. And he's done nothing to deserve the positive accolades. For some strange reason, he is a background character in the dreams of millions of strangers. He just hovers there, really doing nothing. But just the fact that he's at the center of this weird thing makes him popular. And when talent agents come calling, he sees his opportunity to get a book deal.
But then, things go abruptly wrong, and he goes from saint to demon overnight. None of it is his fault, but he's suddenly a pariah. And he handles it very, very badly...putting at risk everything good in his life.
It's all so unfair. Paul did NOTHING to make these dreams happen. The "character" he is in the dreams bears no resemblance to his true persona. He is right to rail against his vilification. Yet his own unpleasant character traits tee us up to NOT sympathize with him. Does he have it coming? Did his own flaws somehow taint his benign dream persona? Why doesn't the public understand that the dream Paul and the real Paul have nothing to do with each other?
It's all very interesting, and Cage makes it all matter thanks to the best performance he's given in some time. With this movie and the excellent, over-looked PIG...Cage demonstrates his true acting chops. Yes, he's delightful in THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT, but even in well-received films like THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE, his performances are over-the-top and even unhinged.
Enjoyable...absolutely. But fine acting? No. He's always a bit broad in his performances, but DREAM SCENARIO harnesses his energy and spins Paul Matthews into a complex character we can understand and feel things about. The script is tight and energetic and clever and funny. The supporting cast (again, special kudos to Nicholson) is on the right wavelength. And the questions the film asks are very relevant in our time of social media, overnight sensations and overnight demonizations. It's a fun film on the surface, very much worth it for Cage's well-done work...but it also rewards some reflection and discussion. I heartily recommend it.
Cage is Paul Matthews, an aging, balding (and apparently always cold because he wears gigantic, ill-fitting coats throughout the film) tenured professor at a modest college. His students pay little attention to him (even though, to be honest, it seems like he's a more interesting professor than many I experienced myself). He leads a frustrating professional life. Early in the film, he has lunch with an very distant colleague who is preparing to publish a paper that touches on subjects that Matthews worked on decades ago. He feels these topics still somehow belong to him, and wants some credit for the paper. He mentions that he's working on a book on the topic...but it turns out he hasn't actually started writing the thing. It's an idea he has and apparently has had for many years. He's a guy who imagines doing great or interesting things, but it will never happen for him. We meet his loving wife (Julianne Nicholson, always under-rated) and his doting daughters. From the viewer's perspective, he's a bit of schlub. An uninspiring instructor, eaten up by his own failures, and sadly unable to see that his great family really means he's got it pretty darn good. Nice house. Nice kids. Nice wife.
But he's a bit clueless. And when he suddenly starts appearing in the dreams of millions of people around the world, he becomes a clueless celebrity (or at least, cultural phenomena). His classroom is full of people who want a selfie with him. He's on the news. He's written about. He's beloved. And he's done nothing to deserve the positive accolades. For some strange reason, he is a background character in the dreams of millions of strangers. He just hovers there, really doing nothing. But just the fact that he's at the center of this weird thing makes him popular. And when talent agents come calling, he sees his opportunity to get a book deal.
But then, things go abruptly wrong, and he goes from saint to demon overnight. None of it is his fault, but he's suddenly a pariah. And he handles it very, very badly...putting at risk everything good in his life.
It's all so unfair. Paul did NOTHING to make these dreams happen. The "character" he is in the dreams bears no resemblance to his true persona. He is right to rail against his vilification. Yet his own unpleasant character traits tee us up to NOT sympathize with him. Does he have it coming? Did his own flaws somehow taint his benign dream persona? Why doesn't the public understand that the dream Paul and the real Paul have nothing to do with each other?
It's all very interesting, and Cage makes it all matter thanks to the best performance he's given in some time. With this movie and the excellent, over-looked PIG...Cage demonstrates his true acting chops. Yes, he's delightful in THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT, but even in well-received films like THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE, his performances are over-the-top and even unhinged.
Enjoyable...absolutely. But fine acting? No. He's always a bit broad in his performances, but DREAM SCENARIO harnesses his energy and spins Paul Matthews into a complex character we can understand and feel things about. The script is tight and energetic and clever and funny. The supporting cast (again, special kudos to Nicholson) is on the right wavelength. And the questions the film asks are very relevant in our time of social media, overnight sensations and overnight demonizations. It's a fun film on the surface, very much worth it for Cage's well-done work...but it also rewards some reflection and discussion. I heartily recommend it.
- RMurray847
- Nov 26, 2023
- Permalink
Dream Scenario. The increasingly brilliant Nicholas Cage continues his renaissance following his recent superb performances in Mandy, Pig and The unbearable weight of massive talent. Cage plays a run of the mill university professor who oozes normality. His students take no real notice of him. His former colleagues publish papers in top journals whilst he hasn't even started his book yet. But he's happy enough, if not fulfilled. Then, for no apparent reason, he starts appearing in people's dreams. Not just people who know or have met him. Anyone. And in the dreams they tend to be in difficult positions but he does absolutely nothing. He has no control over this. The first half of the film is hilarious - the whole cinema (the lovely Electric, Birmingham) we're in stitches as we see the dreams played out. And then the second half of the film takes a sinister turn, to reflect a changing nature of the dreams. And whilst the comedy ends at this point, the drama begins. Whilst the first half is the better half it would be wrong to say the second is disappointing. Cage is quickly becoming one of my favourite actors. Long may it continue. 8 out of ten.
- michael-kerrigan-526-124974
- Nov 14, 2023
- Permalink
I must say first that Dream Scenario is not at all what I expected it to be. After falling in love with writer/director Kristoffer Borgli's previous film Sick Of Myself, then exploring all of his recent short films on YouTube, I thought I had a grasp on what to expect from Dream Scenario, but I was off and that makes it a bit more challenging to form a solid opinion on. One thing is for certain though: regardless of how much you feel like you are enjoying the film as you are watching it, this is the kind of movie that will have you thinking and talking about it, trying to find all the analogies, for some time afterwards. Though my girlfriend left the theater a total of 4 times due to anxiety, she pulled even more apt metaphor out of it than I did when it was over - it gave us a lot to discuss, far more than the average movie.
The overall tone was way different than I was expecting. The trailer had me thinking this would be a quirky adventure into dreams and personalities, but Dream Scenario is FAR more horror-leaning than I'd imagined. Having seen Borgli's previous work in combination with the choice to have Nicolas Cage as the lead, this really threw me off. Once you get into it, it often feels like the work of Ari Aster, which made a lot more sense to me when the ending credits hit and I saw that Ari Aster had produced it. Apparently Aster was originally set to direct this film with Adam Sandler as the lead, but after Sick Of Myself did well, Aster pushed to get Borgli in the director's chair for A24. Overall, the movie has its signature Borgli moments but it definitely feels like a combination of Borgli, Aster, and A24 vibes rather than simply a Borgli piece.
There is not nearly as much comedy as I thought there would be, and most of it is very subdued. I felt like I was laughing more than anyone else in the theater, and it was not much, to be honest. Laughs are simply not one of the primary focuses of the film, in my opinion. And on the subject of atypical focuses, there are hardly fleshed-out characters in this movie at all - they are more like archetypes or vessels that allow the themes to be explored. The way Cage's character works is that he is an effective "every man" in the sense that he's not really likable, but also not especially unlikable - he could be just about any average person, and that's the point. The real "main character" is society and their response to what's happening in a collective manner.
While it's not the most riveting or throughly enjoyable film, it is incredibly original and does seem to have a lot to say underneath it's surface of "simplicity". I was expecting something in the realm of Charlie Kaufman, but what I got was perhaps something I can't compare to almost anything else. At one point in the film, there is a book that is released, and when it does the character who wrote it exclaims "It was supposed to be called Dream Scenario", then the publisher responds, "Is there something wrong with the new title, I Am Your Nightmare?". I feel like this is a fitting summary of my entire experience with this film. I'm not sure if that was all set up on purpose, as a "haha" at the viewer's expense, but knowing Borgli and his specific style of genius-level trolling, I'd say he knew exactly what he was doing.
The overall tone was way different than I was expecting. The trailer had me thinking this would be a quirky adventure into dreams and personalities, but Dream Scenario is FAR more horror-leaning than I'd imagined. Having seen Borgli's previous work in combination with the choice to have Nicolas Cage as the lead, this really threw me off. Once you get into it, it often feels like the work of Ari Aster, which made a lot more sense to me when the ending credits hit and I saw that Ari Aster had produced it. Apparently Aster was originally set to direct this film with Adam Sandler as the lead, but after Sick Of Myself did well, Aster pushed to get Borgli in the director's chair for A24. Overall, the movie has its signature Borgli moments but it definitely feels like a combination of Borgli, Aster, and A24 vibes rather than simply a Borgli piece.
There is not nearly as much comedy as I thought there would be, and most of it is very subdued. I felt like I was laughing more than anyone else in the theater, and it was not much, to be honest. Laughs are simply not one of the primary focuses of the film, in my opinion. And on the subject of atypical focuses, there are hardly fleshed-out characters in this movie at all - they are more like archetypes or vessels that allow the themes to be explored. The way Cage's character works is that he is an effective "every man" in the sense that he's not really likable, but also not especially unlikable - he could be just about any average person, and that's the point. The real "main character" is society and their response to what's happening in a collective manner.
While it's not the most riveting or throughly enjoyable film, it is incredibly original and does seem to have a lot to say underneath it's surface of "simplicity". I was expecting something in the realm of Charlie Kaufman, but what I got was perhaps something I can't compare to almost anything else. At one point in the film, there is a book that is released, and when it does the character who wrote it exclaims "It was supposed to be called Dream Scenario", then the publisher responds, "Is there something wrong with the new title, I Am Your Nightmare?". I feel like this is a fitting summary of my entire experience with this film. I'm not sure if that was all set up on purpose, as a "haha" at the viewer's expense, but knowing Borgli and his specific style of genius-level trolling, I'd say he knew exactly what he was doing.
- Stay_away_from_the_Metropol
- Nov 22, 2023
- Permalink
Watched this with family thinking it was going to be a clever dry comedy. A part from maybe a few subtle laughs at the start, this is far from a comedy, though it is dry and weird. If anything it's a just a weird type of tame horror. Needless to say, it was a bit of an awkward watch, as it was simply not what we were expecting. The trailer is definitely misleading. An interesting take on the instant fame and cancel culture though.
I will say that Nicholas Cage is absolutely fine in the film and I applaud his continued come back into the main stream... not that he ever went anywhere. I can't say the wife, played by Julianne Nicholson, is a bad actress, but I literally despise every character I have ever seen her as, and they seem to all be the complete same.
Following this film, I had to watch something else that I knew would cheer me up; and like many dreams or nightmares, cause this film to be forgotten after a short time, which I'm sure it will be.
I will say that Nicholas Cage is absolutely fine in the film and I applaud his continued come back into the main stream... not that he ever went anywhere. I can't say the wife, played by Julianne Nicholson, is a bad actress, but I literally despise every character I have ever seen her as, and they seem to all be the complete same.
Following this film, I had to watch something else that I knew would cheer me up; and like many dreams or nightmares, cause this film to be forgotten after a short time, which I'm sure it will be.
- Slarkshark
- Jan 29, 2024
- Permalink
- lord_orsum
- Mar 16, 2024
- Permalink
At first it seems to be something bizarre, there's folk you've never met know who you are, and they're crawling out the woodwork, heads are sharing you in their talk, exponentially, you've become quite a star. It's opened doors that you would never have walked through, but this path of fame has started to unglue, mistaken, misconstrued, there are those who know exclude, you don't recognise the image, that's just not you. Alas the wheels soon come off and you are troughed, and celebrity and stardom are soon lost, as fame is rather fickle, and what's past has made you prickle, you're left to wonder whether stature's, worth the cost.
Giving this an 7/10 rating
Oddball film, another for Nicolas Cage, who produces this one too, plays a college professor, who for some strange reason pops up in peoples dreams, and not in a helpful way either.
What starts off as weird, soon becomes disturbing and the moves into the good and evil of social media, corporations, the need too be recognised, self worth, mental health, technology and the abuse of trust and power. This all happens in this movie, with Cage as the driving force.
Cage totally look unrecognisable as the professor, bald head, gruff beard, funny walk, he really goes for it. And has too. Everyone else is collateral damage and the enemy. It's a cleaver film on what is going on in the world and media right now, spun into this strange world, which I would not want to a part off, but we are, like it or not.
Mixed bag on this one, it's good, but will divide everyone, and people will see things differently, which is the point.
Oddball film, another for Nicolas Cage, who produces this one too, plays a college professor, who for some strange reason pops up in peoples dreams, and not in a helpful way either.
What starts off as weird, soon becomes disturbing and the moves into the good and evil of social media, corporations, the need too be recognised, self worth, mental health, technology and the abuse of trust and power. This all happens in this movie, with Cage as the driving force.
Cage totally look unrecognisable as the professor, bald head, gruff beard, funny walk, he really goes for it. And has too. Everyone else is collateral damage and the enemy. It's a cleaver film on what is going on in the world and media right now, spun into this strange world, which I would not want to a part off, but we are, like it or not.
Mixed bag on this one, it's good, but will divide everyone, and people will see things differently, which is the point.
- donmurray29
- Nov 11, 2023
- Permalink
Dream Scenario is very sweet and very sad. And ya know what, that's ok. Not every movie is a happy movie. Like most a24 films it will make you feel all the feels. I don't think I've ever seen dreams portrayed so realistically. It also really palpably got that thing where a dream seems so terrifying just to you, then when you tell someone about it out loud it doesn't seem as scary as it was when you were in it. Just beautifully directed by Kristoffer Borgli. Every single time I see a Nicolas Cage film I think no one else could've played this role, & I think that's really special.
For fans of Everything Everywhere All At Once, Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky.
For fans of Everything Everywhere All At Once, Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky.
- JK-WhatsUpWeirdoPodcast
- Nov 15, 2023
- Permalink
Nick Cage goes completely bonkers again with Dream Scenario. Similar to Adaptation or The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent ,Cage plays a man who needs everyone to know how smart he is in a way that makes him unlikeable slightly, which makes it interesting when life happens to him and the world starts to intergrade him into their dreams for no known reason and it takes an unfair turn that gives a vivid reflection on culture and social media if you ask me.
It was an eye opener that made me laugh out loud because the metaphor on social commentary was just so dead on.
Greatest Nicolas Cage movie of the year and Reinfeld came out this same year (along with a lot of other Nicolas Cage movies actually)
It was an eye opener that made me laugh out loud because the metaphor on social commentary was just so dead on.
Greatest Nicolas Cage movie of the year and Reinfeld came out this same year (along with a lot of other Nicolas Cage movies actually)
- subxerogravity
- Nov 11, 2023
- Permalink
It was kind of hard to get into at first since the characters seem to come off kind of pompous and smug, which makes it hard to like them. Nic Cage's character comes off pretty pathetic and awkward - but that's the whole point. There were moments that were funny, but mostly I felt kind of uneasy. I think the camera was too close to the actors faces at times - that's probably what made me feel uncomfortable. It felt like I was invading their personal space. All that being said, this movie has probably one of the best fart scenes of all time. I would re-watch this movie just to experience that scene again lol.
Dream Scenario is a pretty interesting look at what social media fame - or just fame in general - can do to a person and all the negative effects that come with it. It also highlights the toxicity of cancel culture. I guess moral of the story is: don't go chasing fame. Although, Paul didn't really engage in pursuing fame, it kind of came to him through something that was out of his control. The concept of ant intelligence and how ants might share a sort of hive mind definitely was a really interesting concept. I love how they tie that into the main story of how everyone is dreaming about the same person. The concept of influencers invading people's dreams to advertise products was an insane concept. Overall, this movie was pretty darn good. It had an interesting premise and took a creative approach when exploring its different concepts. I'd re-watch this movie and I can definitely recommend it if you want something different.
Dream Scenario is a pretty interesting look at what social media fame - or just fame in general - can do to a person and all the negative effects that come with it. It also highlights the toxicity of cancel culture. I guess moral of the story is: don't go chasing fame. Although, Paul didn't really engage in pursuing fame, it kind of came to him through something that was out of his control. The concept of ant intelligence and how ants might share a sort of hive mind definitely was a really interesting concept. I love how they tie that into the main story of how everyone is dreaming about the same person. The concept of influencers invading people's dreams to advertise products was an insane concept. Overall, this movie was pretty darn good. It had an interesting premise and took a creative approach when exploring its different concepts. I'd re-watch this movie and I can definitely recommend it if you want something different.
Wow. I was really liking this movie. Although the massive bald dome is too odd, and the weasel whimp voice is a little too whiny in spots, overall this is a really good performance by Nick Cage. He gets a character that allows him to have some depth. He is a whimpy nerd, but he has intelligence and depth, and he gets to display happiness and sadness, anger and regret. And Nick shows us again that he is simply a good actor.
Equally impressive is the premise of this story. A completely unimportant random fellow learns from friends and family that he is appearing as a background player in their dreams. And suddenly, he goes viral in the dreams of people around the world. Great idea. Nobody knows why. Everybody expects him to have an answer.
At first it is fun and he becomes famous and marketable as the guy in your dreams. This is contrasted with his personal life, where his children, wife, colleagues are all not really comfortable with it.
Then things turn negative for him and as quickly as he exploded...he becomes a negative force to everyone, and everything crashes down around him.
So we get a story that gives us all kind of terrain to explore. Until the 3rd act, when everything is dropped and nothing we've been watching really matters. We get on explanation, but we get a disappointing out of the story. Where we were expecting an answer to why this strange event happened, we are just told all of this validated the collective consciousness as a fact, and that now it is a new method of communication. Our story leaves us in a muddled state, with our sad friend basically hoping he can find his way home to what is now his dreamworld: the life he no longer has.
The direction in the movie is mostly good. Once or twice the standard device of discovering what we just witnessed was really a dream sequence is used, but no big deal, that should be expected in a movie about dreams.
The pace of the movie is mostly good and it never slowed up or went too quickly. No issues with any of the actors, everyone is pretty believable in their roles. Although his wife and her motivations seem to trouble our protagonist, we are never given evidence to make us think she actually deceiving him, and that is a good choice.
In the same manner, we can ask if it makes sense that the people in his class would be unable to separate his dream persona from the reality that he does nothing wrong to anyone, but since the entire premise here is that his dream persona has gone viral, then we can go along with the idea that that persona is the only him anyone actually knows.
So, we have this nice clever funny dark little comedy that just should have come up with a bigger ending that gave us a resolution as to why what happened happened. We should have had a big ending and instead. Instead of an orgasm, we got a fart (yeah...that is in the movie.).
Equally impressive is the premise of this story. A completely unimportant random fellow learns from friends and family that he is appearing as a background player in their dreams. And suddenly, he goes viral in the dreams of people around the world. Great idea. Nobody knows why. Everybody expects him to have an answer.
At first it is fun and he becomes famous and marketable as the guy in your dreams. This is contrasted with his personal life, where his children, wife, colleagues are all not really comfortable with it.
Then things turn negative for him and as quickly as he exploded...he becomes a negative force to everyone, and everything crashes down around him.
So we get a story that gives us all kind of terrain to explore. Until the 3rd act, when everything is dropped and nothing we've been watching really matters. We get on explanation, but we get a disappointing out of the story. Where we were expecting an answer to why this strange event happened, we are just told all of this validated the collective consciousness as a fact, and that now it is a new method of communication. Our story leaves us in a muddled state, with our sad friend basically hoping he can find his way home to what is now his dreamworld: the life he no longer has.
The direction in the movie is mostly good. Once or twice the standard device of discovering what we just witnessed was really a dream sequence is used, but no big deal, that should be expected in a movie about dreams.
The pace of the movie is mostly good and it never slowed up or went too quickly. No issues with any of the actors, everyone is pretty believable in their roles. Although his wife and her motivations seem to trouble our protagonist, we are never given evidence to make us think she actually deceiving him, and that is a good choice.
In the same manner, we can ask if it makes sense that the people in his class would be unable to separate his dream persona from the reality that he does nothing wrong to anyone, but since the entire premise here is that his dream persona has gone viral, then we can go along with the idea that that persona is the only him anyone actually knows.
So, we have this nice clever funny dark little comedy that just should have come up with a bigger ending that gave us a resolution as to why what happened happened. We should have had a big ending and instead. Instead of an orgasm, we got a fart (yeah...that is in the movie.).
- jamfitz001
- Jan 28, 2024
- Permalink
Others have put this film as 'hilarious' and I went expecting a comedy
I would not describe it as a comedy however, there was one scene I laughed out loud at .
I took this film as a metaphor for how people are arbitarily cancelled.
Cage put in a great performance as a professor 'cancelled' without any morale justification or evidence, and every one knows he did nothing wrong. I presume is an analagy to how 'the woke' arbitarily cancel others with a nod to hypocrisy at the end where ideas are then embraced.
Other than that, I'm not really sure what this film is about and in the last 15 minutes are so I was hoping it would end soon.
Would I watch it again ? No
It's quite a dissmal / dark film (in my opinion). Don't get me wrong, it is well made, well acted (particularly by Cage) and certainly an original idea.
I'm glad I watched it, but didn't particularly enjoy it 6.5/10.
I would not describe it as a comedy however, there was one scene I laughed out loud at .
I took this film as a metaphor for how people are arbitarily cancelled.
Cage put in a great performance as a professor 'cancelled' without any morale justification or evidence, and every one knows he did nothing wrong. I presume is an analagy to how 'the woke' arbitarily cancel others with a nod to hypocrisy at the end where ideas are then embraced.
Other than that, I'm not really sure what this film is about and in the last 15 minutes are so I was hoping it would end soon.
Would I watch it again ? No
It's quite a dissmal / dark film (in my opinion). Don't get me wrong, it is well made, well acted (particularly by Cage) and certainly an original idea.
I'm glad I watched it, but didn't particularly enjoy it 6.5/10.
- comps-784-38265
- Nov 11, 2023
- Permalink
- nikolaospspad
- Mar 15, 2024
- Permalink