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DREAM SCENARIO (2023) Nic Cage

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  • DREAM SCENARIO (2023) Nic Cage

    Writer-Director Kristoffer Borgli's film reminds you of that dream you had which you thought was so intriguing – but, you can't quite remember the details. DREAM SCENARIO's has a fine hook: What if you people started having dreams about YOU? Even people you've never met?


    Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) is that man. A mild mannered biology Professor at a small college with a wife (Julianne Nicholson) and two daughters. His daughter Sophie (Lily Bird) and an ex-girlfriend are among the dreamers – and, soon, too, are some of his students. Before Matthews knows it, he becomes as superstar on social media. Things go awry when the dreams start to become darker and darker.

    Borgli's film is oddly inert for much of its running time despite the compelling idea at its center. There's a matter of factness that plays out too flatly. Part of it, is that we see little of the dreams themselves – not to mention that they are from somebody else's POV, not Matthews'. Further, Cage sometimes overplays the characters' nebbishness. You can sense Cage “acting normal” (he's better in those scenes where he relaxes). The other performances are fine including Tim Meadows as an exasperated Dean.


    To be fair, it's clear that Brogli is making more of a commentary on fame and the Tik Tok generation than he is about, well, Dream Scenarios. There is, perhaps, a nod or two towards “cancel culture” and a reflection of how Matthews views himself, but it never really goes anywhere terribly interesting. It's Charlie Kaufman lite, as it were. The pacing and mundane filmmaking are such that the viewer can see where the guideposts are – seemingly before the movie itself. The grainy 16mm cinematography by Benjamin Loeb is a nice touch and does add a nightmarish quality.

    DREAM SCENARIO is a decent enough diversion even if it ends up feeling just frustratingly out of reach – just like the details of that fantastic dream you had.


    DREAM SCENARIO is currently available to stream on MAX, as well as for rental. It's on Blu Ray and DVD.

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  • #2
    Saw this at my local arthouse theatre. I was alone at the screening. It was pretty fun. I really liked that Nic Cages character is so extremely unlikeable in it.
    "No presh from the Dresh!"

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    • #3
      I liked this, although it could've used maybe one or two more creepy dream sequences. A dream near the beginning is actually pretty damn scary.

      Fun fact: they filmed the final dream sequence in the neighbourhood near my house. Not only did I see them filming a scene a couple of years ago, but I often drive down the street where Cage is walking with his wife in his David Byrne suit!
      Why would anybody watch a scum show like Videodrome? Why did you watch it, Max?

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Matt H. View Post
        I liked this, although it could've used maybe one or two more creepy dream sequences. A dream near the beginning is actually pretty damn scary.
        I agree. As I noted in my post, the film ends up being more about social media/fame than it does the Dreams themselves. It's like a gimmick to get the ball rolling for what the filmmaker really wanted to say.

        The bookend dreams point to what the film could have been.

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