Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: 2/27/2024
Rating: R
Film Grade: B+
The Story: See that unassuming man over there? That’s Paul Matthews, milquetoast, evolutionary biologist, a perfectly ordinary and nondescript father and husband with unrealized aspirations. Someone who doesn’t stand out in any way, either at home or in the college classroom. Well, not until he starts appearing in other peoples’ dreams. The scenarios are all totally different, but Paul is there as a passive observer in each of them, just watching as things unfold, not taking any kind of action.
Soon he goes viral and is faced with the kind of fame he never could have imagined. But there are consequences for that fame. . .
My Take: Yes, this is a Nicolas Cage movie, but don’t prejudge it based on that. He shows an atypical amount of restraint here, not falling into the campy kind of persona that one might expect. He even goes so far as to shave off a good chunk of his hair to assume the role of Paul. It’s the kind of character that gives you the chance to see him as an actor with much greater range and dedication than one might expect.
The supporting performances are also well-played, inhabiting the various people surrounding Paul as he deals with this very odd situation. Michael Cera is perfectly cast in a small and genuinely amusing role.
Writer/director Kristoffer Borgli gives the audience a tight script that is filled with a multitude of ideas that all intertwine in a thought-provoking way. Evolutionary biology, hive-mind behavior, fame in today’s interconnected internet, and how dreams might be involved in all of them. There’s no lengthy explanation of the science behind it, rather it’s left up to the viewer to contemplate the biological or metaphysical nature of what’s happening.
Lest that sound a little too heady, there are frequent moments of levity, often provoking laughter. Some of the marketing material might suggest that this is a comedy, but that’s not the case. While humor plays a part, the story itself is serious in spots with a touch of whimsy thrown in on occasion.
I do think the last third of the movie could have used a little more development. Things shift a bit too quickly in an unexpected way that fills glossed-over, almost like there wasn’t a full commitment to what’s introduced. Whether this was due to keeping down the run time or not wanting to drown the audience with too much detail, I would have liked it to unfold less abruptly and with more exploration. On the other hand, it’s easy to argue that leaving things on the fuzzier side keeps it more in line with the dream-like theme of the movie. Worst case is that it leaves viewers like me wanting more, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Video: This is a soft-looking presentation and shows the grain of the film it was shot on. This is intentional, and while a bit unusual these days, it’s not distracting in any way. There is a good mix of colors, often feeling vibrant and colorful, while other shots are dark but still distinct.
Audio: This is a 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix and is perfectly adequate. The movie is dialog-heavy and clear throughout the movie. A few sound effects are heard, but nothing noteworthy, which is understandable for this story. Some environmental effects, such as the buzzing of overhead lights, are present and create a good match with the scenes.
Special Features: - Audio commentary by writer/director Kristoffer Borgli
- Dream Like Nobody’s Watching featurette (well worth viewing if you enjoyed the film)
- 3 deleted scenes
- Trailers
Final Verdict: In the extras, Cage mentions that this is one of only five scripts he’s read where he said to himself that he just had to do it. After viewing this, it’s easy to see why. Borgli’s sophomore effort is filled with all kinds of thoughts and ideas that combine into a fresh vision that we don’t see a lot of these days. I’m eagerly looking forward to his next project, whatever it might be.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for an odd, funny, smart film that’s a definite change of pace from Nicolas Cage’s typical kind of movie. That said, not everyone will be as enamored. My wife thought it was just OK; it was just a little too strange for her. I’ll certainly be adding this one to my library.
If you have the Max streaming service, it looks like you can stream it now as part of your subscription. It’s well worth checking out.
Fun Quote: “So, I’m finally cool, huh?”
My Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup
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