A One Mann’s Movies review of “Dream Scenario” (2023).
The phrases “Nicolas Cage” and “under-play” seldom sit comfortably together. But in his latest film – “Dream Scenario” – it’s actually apt for once. This is bottled-up Cage, to a large degree, and it just works brilliantly.
The film is classed as “Comedy/Horror” on IMDB, but I would probably class it as “Horror-lite/(Comedy)”: the story is more disturbing that horrific and although there are definitely comic moments in it, describing it as a “Comedy” feels like a bit of a stretch to me.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) is just an everyman biology professor at Osler College. Balding; A bit chubby; A man frustrated by a lack of academic recognition. All that changes when people inexplicably start dreaming about him. Celebrity arrives (literally!) overnight. But there are downsides to fame.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R; (From the BBFC web site: “Strong violence, threat, bloody images, sex references, language”).
Talent:
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Nicholson, Lily Bird, Jessica Clement, Tim Meadows, Dylan Gelula.
Directed by: Kristoffer Borgli.
Written by: Kristoffer Borgli.
Twitter Handle: #DreamScenario.
Running Time: 1h 42m.
Perfectly cast as a troubled everyman, Nicolas Cage is a joy to watch. (Source: A24).
“Dream Scenario” Review:
Positives:
- Nicolas Cage is just terrific in this. I know I commented last year that his performance in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” might be Oscar-worthy if it wasn’t such a lightweight and ‘non-academy’ film. But here again, you look at the performance and think “that is just GREAT!” There’s one scene in particular, where he is broadcasting a tearful video message to the nation, that made me go “Wow!” in terms of the acting ability. Just superb.
- I’m not familiar with the previous work of Norwegian writer/director Kristoffer Borgli, but I was so impressed with this idea for the film. Has it been done before? Well, certainly, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” had similarities, but (unless I’m mistaken) the concept behind this movie seems new and innovative. A real example of a scriptwriter thinking “What if…” and fleshing the idea out. Something “new” in cinema is certainly something to celebrate.
- The first 30 minutes of the film is brilliantly done, with Matthews progressive realisation that he is the centre of everyone’s attention: the manifestation in cinema form of that dream where you are naked on the high street and everyone is looking at you!
- I loved the blurring of lines between dream and reality. This is particularly effective in a scene with a crossbow, where you only get dawning realisation that this is reality not a dream…. (or vice versa)! A scene between Paul and Molly (Dylan Gelula) is squirmingly uncomfortable and very funny, proving that sometimes reality doesn’t live up to our dreams.
Negatives:
- I was absolutely hooked on this film until the third reel… in fact, from the point where Nicholas Braun (Greg in “Succession”) makes a cameo appearance. This conclusion to the story didn’t really work well for me and felt like a let-down… which was a shame. I’m not sure where exactly I would have taken the story…. but I would have done something different.
Molly (Dylan Gelula) who’s been having – erm – interesting dreams about Paul. (Source: A24)
Summary Thoughts on “Dream Scenario”
I know the term “horror” may put a lot of people off. The surrealist nature of the film reminded me at times of the wonderful, if disturbing, “Beau is Afraid” from earlier in the year. (Indeed, I noticed that Ari Aster is one of the co-producers of this film.) But this is a tamer affair. The nightmarish images included in here are, in the main, not too horrific. (The hammer attack on the bespectacled Andy (David Klein) would be an exception and require some to shut their eyes). So, in the main, the horror is ‘horror-lite’ and the ‘mildly squeamish’ might be OK with this one. (I’d say its borderline for the illustrious Mrs Movie Man, who didn’t go to see this with me.)
But, in summary, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. A24 have, yet again, delivered another stellar offering: how DO they do it? It’s an intriguing concept, well told albeit with a finale that didn’t quite do it for me. But Cage is truly magnificent throughout. “OSCAR, OSCAR, OSCAR!”
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Trailer for “Dream Scenario”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3x9iUL-74w .
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