A hapless family man finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. When his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound stardom.
Chuck says:
Imaginative, timely and, at times, horrific Kristoffer Borgli’s “Dream Scenario” is a bracing social commentary that provides Nicholas Cage with yet another intriguing role that allows him to continue his career resurgence. At times off-putting, the film contains one surprise after another, the script an intriguing collection of unpredictable situations that result in a modern examination of not simply the vagaries of fame, but the capricious nature of cancel culture and the sham of the Victimhood Culture.
Paul Matthews (Cage) is a university professor specializing in evolutionary biology. He’s an expert in his field and has done some groundbreaking research yet has never had the confidence to take the next step and publish a book or paper on his findings. And while he’s not in danger of perishing, it nags at him to see his peers move ahead. And then, something odd happens – hundreds of people begin to see him in their dreams. Once this story goes viral, it becomes apparent the number is in the thousands and that they all have one thing in common. In these dreams, Matthews does nothing. Whether the dreamer is being attacked, the victim of a car accident or dealing with an apocalyptic event, he stands passively by and watches the myriad subconscious worlds he appears in crumble before him.
Matthews’ fame ends up being more a blessing than a curse. His wife Janet (Julianne Nicholson) and daughters Hannah and Sophie (Jessica Clement and Lily Bird) feel the residual effects of this as well, first welcoming the attention they get but once the family’s privacy is repeatedly breached, that changes. Things spin completely out of control when Matthews’ behavior in the collective dreamworld changes.
Borgli is very in tune with the times in the way he examines how a quirky phenomenon such as this would be handled in the media. An up-and-coming ad agency approaches Matthews about capitalizing on his fame and their suggestions are in keeping with the sort of saturation approach used on today’s media platforms, though what they have in mind for the delivery system our hero has opened up at first seems outlandish. However, on reflection it’s in keeping with the modern blitzkrieg approach as are the strategies employed when they are forced to pivot once public opinion towards Matthews changes.
The most pointed and effective aspect of the film is Brogli’s examination of the abuse of today’s Victimhood Culture and the eagerness to martyr oneself simply for attention. The university where Matthews works, where he’s initially praised and ultimately vilified, is a microcosm of this movement. As he points out, every interaction is seen as a trauma today and all the students who he “offends” refuse to truly confront the problem, opting to wallow in their martyrdom. That Matthews issues a sincere apology, which is dismissed as self-serving, comes as no surprise.
While Cage has become known for his outsized performances, his more introspective work is often overlooked. Here, he walks a fine line between the two, effectively tapping into the longing so many have to stand out from the crowd, his need for respect, palpable. More touching is his ability to capture Matthews’ feelings of desperation, his pain of being constantly overlooked. The Everyman quality he brings to every aspect of the role, of a man struggling to succeed and falling just short in every arena of his life stands with the best work he’s done.
As with most cautionary tales, the warnings contained here will fall on deaf ears, its message too late in coming what with the various genies it examines already well out of their respective bottles. However, Borgli proves to be a voice to pay attention to as “Dream Scenario” is a daring, pointed piece of work that should be heeded, while Cage reminds us how vital a screen presence he can be when given challenging material.
4 Stars
