‘Dream Scenario’ Movie Review [Beyond Fest 2023]: Kristoffer Borgli and Nicolas Cage’s Dream Comedy Is an Uproarious Winner
Photo from A24
From Jeff Nelson
The mysteries surrounding dreams continue to fascinate our society, particularly when it comes to the meaning that the subconscious draws out while we’re resting. Writer/director Kristoffer Borgli taps into this enigma with the hilarious Dream Scenario, which pairs a fascinating premise with an outstanding lead performance from Nicolas Cage that simply wouldn’t work with anyone else in this role.
Paul Matthews (Cage) is an unmemorable family man and university professor who aspires to make a name for himself in the world of research. However, the only fame he achieves comes after millions of strangers around the world begin to see him in their dreams. The initial excitement over his involuntary nighttime appearances turn dark, flipping his entire life upside down.
Borgli’s screenplay wraps its fingers around several social phenomena, including viral sensations in the present day. Fame and recognition aren’t always achieved via accomplishments, particularly in the age of digital and social media. Dream Scenario drops Paul into a circumstance of celebrity status that goes beyond our culture’s realm of possibility. Borgli is less intrigued in the “why” of the matter, traversing the variations of “what” is happening for laughs – and he certainly succeeds in that, as Paul exists as a sort of Freddy Kreuger, except he intrudes your dreams to do absolutely nothing.
There’s an excess of zany shenanigans unfolding here, but there’s also a dramatic core beating underneath it all. Paul’s character has layers, coming off as the average, everyday man, even despite his PhD and his superiority complex that emerges through his poor social skills. His wife, Janet, (Julianne Nicholson) and daughters (Lily Bird, Jessica Clement) struggle to adjust to the sudden change, losing all privacy and anonymity in their lives. Paul’s marriage grounds the film in reality, allowing all of the dramatic shifts throughout the story to manifest within their relationship, changing the course of their connection forever.
The first half of Dream Scenario is consistently hilarious and off-kilter, but the second half hits a tonal shift into something far more serious. As Paul’s fame changes for the worse, the social phenomenon of “cancel culture” emerges, although Borgli loses the fun, creative edge and places the audience in a far darker place. There’s a lot of room for social commentary, but it doesn’t have much to say on the topic, which is a significant switch from the first half, which has plenty to say about its topic.
Cage pulls the whole thing together with a phenomenal lead performance as Paul. He perfectly delivers on all of the film’s strangeness, while landing each comedic beat through line delivery and physical humor. However, Cage doesn’t skimp on the dramatic moments that find Paul on the brink of a total breakdown, capturing the character’s nuances. Nicholson offers a strong contrast, bringing a subtle, yet effective performance as Janet.
Dream Scenario is the type of eccentric dark comedy that Cage excels in, delivering on a bonkers premise with laughs, sincerity, and a point-of-view with something stimulating to say. The tone gets pitchy, but there’s no denying that this abnormal comedy never wavers in entertainment, consistently finding ways to keep its single-note premise alive and well throughout its runtime.
Rating: 3.5/5
Dream Scenario hits limited theaters on November 10th, 2023, before it expands everywhere on November 22nd, 2023.
