American Dreamz - quick review

Patrick Sun · 04-22-2006, 11:02 PM

This film took forever to setup its punchline, and 20 minutes into the film, I knew where it'd go, and by then I had stopped caring. The film's attempt at satire was so labored and unfunny, it was like watching a comedian with a 10 minute spot who gets booed within the first minute and loses the audience for the remaining, floundering, 9 minutes of material. It was a pretty boring film-viewing experience, and would urge anyone thinking about going to see this film to save their money and go see something else, anything else.

I give it 1/2 stars or a grade of F+.

Vickie_M · 04-23-2006, 09:47 AM

Oh my, I couldn't disagree more. My husband and I saw it Friday night and at times we couldn't breathe because we were laughing so hard. We haven't had that much fun at a movie in a long long time! We liked it so much we went back and saw it AGAIN last night! We laughed just as hard. It's full of great quotes (there are lines we've already started to quote to each other), and we can't wait to get the DVD. We'll probably see it again before it leaves the theaters.

I can't say why someone wouldn't like it (to even guess would probably get me banned), but we loved it because it was a pitch black comedy (our favorite kind of comedy), was very politically incorrect, and because it poked fun (sometimes mean, vicious fun) at two things we absolutely cannot stand, the Prezident, and American Idol. Ok, about American Idol...full disclosure: neither one of us have ever seen an episode of American Idol, so I don't know if the movie would have been even more funny, or less funny, had we been fans. In any case, it's something we've never been interested in watching, but we were familiar enough with some of the basics of American Idol to know when American Dreamz was zinging it. Other things flew over our heads with regards to AI, but was funny to us anyway in the context of AD.

If you think the trailer is funny and has potential, you'll probably like the movie. If you're disturbed by the poster or anything in the trailer, you'll probably hate it. I thought the trailer had some cute bits, but it was the film's poster that REALLY got me interested. I can't say anymore and I won't give a link to the poster, but if you know what I'm talking about then...well, you'll know what I'm talking about.

45% on Rotten Tomatoes...sheesh. Forget them. It's going to rightfully become a cult classic, I know it will. It *IS* a good movie. It *IS* a very funny movie. It *IS AND WILL BE* hated by a certain segment of American Society. What's not to cult classic?

mattCR · 04-23-2006, 10:42 AM

Without becoming overly political, I think Roger Ebert summed it up best when he noted that while he would give up, it often felt as though it overly-stole ideas from left-leaning blogs and came off at moments as a screed of "best hits" from the same.

As a result, yes, there is a segment of the audience that won't appreciate it. Having watched it, that part wasn't what bothered me, and I thought that Hugh was very good in his role. But the film as a whole seemed so contrived and at moments sad that I felt as though it lost track of any real narrative.

The biggest problem with the film is a simple one: it just isn't that funny. I'm sure there is an audience who will love it, I guess I'm not part of that audience.

As satire, it tends to fall flat when it goes so over the top that it borders into camp, and somewhat creepy camp. The whole story of the gay-arabic cousin is creepy and comments on nothing.

I think the writer had a base of an idea.. and then lost it. If you're looking for a great satire in the marketplace, right now 'Thank You for Smoking" is it. But I'd skip "American Dreamz"

mattCR · 04-23-2006, 10:43 AM

Without becoming overly political, I think Roger Ebert summed it up best when he noted that while he would give up, it often felt as though it overly-stole ideas from left-leaning blogs and came off at moments as a screed of "best hits" from the same.

As a result, yes, there is a segment of the audience that won't appreciate it. Having watched it, that part wasn't what bothered me, and I thought that Hugh was very good in his role. But the film as a whole seemed so contrived and at moments sad that I felt as though it lost track of any real narrative.

The biggest problem with the film is a simple one: it just isn't that funny. I'm sure there is an audience who will love it, I guess I'm not part of that audience.

As satire, it tends to fall flat when it goes so over the top that it borders into camp, and somewhat creepy camp. The whole story of the gay-arabic cousin is creepy and comments on nothing.

I think the writer had a base of an idea.. and then lost it. If you're looking for a great satire in the marketplace, right now 'Thank You for Smoking" is it. But I'd skip "American Dreamz"



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