‘Be very careful what you wish for’ is the message of Nicholas Cage film Dream Scenario
Film review: Dream Scenario (15) – seen at The Light Cinema, Wisbech
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Nicholson and Dylan Gelula.
Director: Kristoffer Borgli Run time: One hour, 42 minutes
‘Be very careful what you wish for’ is the overriding message of Kristoffer Borgli’s comedy/horror which takes a clever look at the modern phenomenon of fame without substance and the cancel culture.
In a clever and imaginative film, Nicolas Cage is superb throughout as hapless family man turned ‘most famous man in the world’ Paul Matthews as his new-found stardom sees his life spiral out of control.
Matthews is a small-town, bitter, entitled professor, jealous of the world, including his ex-girlfriend’s impending book and the people who are invited to dinner parties he feels he should have a seat at.
His whole world turns upside down when his ex links Facebook page to her book announcement and millions of strangers reveal he has played a walk-on part in their dreams. Not doing anything or helping in times of crisis, just walking by.
The professor loves his sudden celebrity and courts it gladly, seeing it as his path to publishing fame. However, when he becomes angry at the release of his former partner’s book, his appearances in people’s dreams become violent and murderous.
Cage’s every word is a moaning, complaining whine and he is backed up superbly by Julianne Nicholson as supportive and eventually exasperated wife Janet.
A sex scene with young talent agency PA Molly (Dylan Gelula) is both hilarious and disturbing at the same time and something you genuinely wish you could erase from memory.
My only complaint would be that, after a superb first hour or so, the film goes a little off-kilter in the final third as Borgli struggles towards a satisfying conclusion.
But, after last year’s excellent The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Cage has now shown that he is now an amazing comic actor and this is up there with his best performances.
Rating 8/10
