American Dreamz (2006)

I wanted to but couldn't!

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

American Dreamz (2006): Dir: Paul Weitz / Cast: Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Seth Meyers, Chris Klein: Fantastic satire that takes crack shots at American Idol, the American President and terrorist. It is also Paul Weitz's best film in a career that has spawned such worthy comic gems as In Good Company and American Pie. It is addressing the success and sensation regarding reality shows and the bullshit concealed. Hugh Grant is perfectly cast as the arrogant Martin Tweed who hosts American Dreamz. His performance is a send off to Simon Cowell of American Idol fame. Dennis Quaid plays a recently re-elected American President ousted onto American Dreamz as a guest judge. His performance is an obvious jab at George W. Bush. Mandy Moore plays off the phoniness of divas as her contending on American Dreamz is manipulated with what isn't happening behind the camera within her relationships. This is perhaps Moore at her best as she succeeds to the delight of the media that craves and buys into it all. Seth Meyers plays Omar, another contender sent by terrorist but who sincerely wishes to compete. Chris Klein plays Moore's moron veteran boyfriend who proves to be several sandwiches short of a picnic. Provocative comedy about pop culture and the reality that the dreams presented are merely costume to the lasting misery of it all. Score: 10 / 10

I think this comedy is way better than some reviews would suggest. American Dreamz is stocked with excellent actors and while it makes fun of everything from Bush and American Idol to terrorists and today's narcissistic culture in general it does so with love.Granted, there is a slight overreach and the movie would have benefited from a more narrow scope but it works, it's funny and you come away from it feeling good which is what a comedy is supposed to do. It might sting a bit for ultra-patriotic Americans, but that's got more to do with them than with the movie itself. **** Spoiler **** Dennis Quaid and Marcia Gay Harden are brilliant as the Bush couple and Willem Dafoe is equally excellent as a Dick Cheney/Donald Rumsfeld-composite character. While it is easy to be mean to George Bush this film choose a different path. We are presented with the what-if scenario of what would have happened if George had one day woke up, begun to read newspapers and think for himself. This is a different and humorous take on a guy that is already a parody of himself.The American Idol part of the film is also funny and Hugh Grant does a wonderful Simon Cowell. This parody also leans towards gentle fun rather than mean, but they are not pulling their punches and the man we love to hate gets what's coming to him.This film does not make a big political statement and it never preaches, but there is a subtext of criticism against the western consumer culture in general and American foreign policy in particular. This is more by default than by intent, if you make fun of George Bush and American Idol at the same time, this is the message you get. It feels more like the movie assumes the viewer knows what the message is and it mostly avoids preaching to the choir.Finally, the level of acting is very good across the board, even for the smaller parts, and with outstanding performances from Quaid, Dafoe, Moore, Harden and Coolidge.American Dreamz is a great comedy for a slow weekend afternoon and it's well worth watching.

i'm sure this is a bit of a politically dubious film, especially where iraq is concerned, and it isn't the sort of film that stays with you after it is over, but it did have many moments that made me laugh out loud - sheer wonderful surprise. the acting on the whole is nicely understated and dennis quaid stops short of making his president completely mockable, doesn't take the easy route. tony yalda is wonderful as iqbal but hugh grant lacks both the charisma and the comic timing for his role and his voice keeps changing throughout - but he wasn't complete rubbish, and yes, well, he's still rather sexy. but still, ultimately rather a slight film.

This film is terrible! End of story.It sucks.It sucks at life! Omer is OK, everyone else is not! Stupid satire! I admittedly don't know much about cinema but I definitely know a bad movie when I see one! This SUCKS.Its income did not even reach its budget of 17 million. Pitiful, right? And somehow I think it was in theaters for a month or so, I might be wrong.I didn't watch the whole thing, probably two thirds of it, but I had good reason: it sucked ass.Calling this film sh*t is overrated! Seeing sh*t compared to this makes me respect the sh*t and want to take it home! At least sh*t makes something of an attempt to make a movie! American Dreamz made no attempt whatsoever.Take this as a warning and go rent an October Sh*tfest if you want something better! Thank you for your time, good night.