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American Dreamz [2006]
from Universal Pictures Video
starring Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Willem Dafoe, Mandy Moore
directed by Paul Weitz

Features:

• PAL

Editorial Review:

A sadly muddled and unsatisfying film, American Dreamz is beset by an identity crisis it never manages to answer.

On paper, it's promising, if hardly radical. Hugh Grant plays the host of a top-rated American talent show. On his quest for ratings, he casts his net far and wide hunting for hopefuls, bringing in the likes of Mandy Moore as he does so. And a wannabe terrorist too. Which doesn't really make too much sense when you watch it either. Throw in an insecure President of the United States--played by Dennis Quaid--who finds himself, thanks to his key adviser (Willem Dafoe) as a guest judge on the show, and you have something of a mess.

What's most surprising is that behind the camera is Paul Weitz, who's of late built upon his initial success with American Pie and brought us the excellent About A Boy (which again starred Grant), and the woefully-underrated In Good Company (which starred Quaid). Yet he's simply unable to work his magic here, as the film simply fails to gel. As a satire, it's targets are too soft and obvious, as a broad comedy it lacks laughs, and even as a straight hour and a half of easy entertainment, it's far too jumbled to be able to relax and enjoy.

There may be an argument that in the midst of all of this is a decent enough movie struggling to break through. But the point is that it doesn't, and given the calibre and curriculum vitaes of some of those involved, American Dreamz has to be classed as a crushing disappointment. --Simon Brew

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 3.0 / 5.0

• Racist, Pretentious and Immoral
  This film pretends to be a spoof about the current obsession with superficial fame as expressed through 'singing' 'talent' shows. Whoever wrote this film is not clever enough to pull this off.
  The main characters in the film are :
  1) An 'camp' Arab guy and his 'friend'. His colleagues want him to blow up the US president when they meet on the singing show (he is the finalist).
  2) A blue eyed blond haired 'American girl' (the other finalist)
  3) Her boyfriend (who wants to marry her) more info

• surprisingly good
  im not a fan of hugh grants but it has to said i liked this movie it was funny and ejoyable

• Pleasantly surprised!
  I bought this DVD for 3 euros. I was, frankly, not expecting much but, hey, I can look at Hugh Grant for 2 hours, even now, so for 3 euros, why not? Now, I will be honest. I do not live in the States any more. I have never watched American Idol. I have not owned a television in about 7 years now (nothing militant...My husband and I just seem to get along all right without one...), so perhaps I was snickering at all the wrong parts, so to speak. I agree there was no "side splitting, guffaw moments, but that... more info

• Entertaining and Amusing
  I am not a big fan of Hugh Grant and so that fact, together with the bad reviews this film got, meant I did not go to see it at the cinema. However I am so glad I got it on DVD. Maybe it's just my sense of humour, maybe it's because I have enjoyed The X Factor, but I found this parody of the t.v. show funny from start to finish. I was almost on the edge of my seat wondering if the bumbling terrorist who, by complete fluke, ends up in the competition will manage to assasinate the President. The final scenes,... more info

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