Dream Scenario is one of those movies that really stuck with me the first time I saw it. There was something so surreal but oddly approachable about the subject matter
Dream Scenario tells the story of Paul Matthews, an ordinary man who becomes a sensation overnight when he starts inexplicably appearing in people’s dreams. However, things take a negative spin when the dreams turn into nightmares, and Paul is left to answer for crimes that are seemingly out of his control. Paul Matthews is played by Nicolas Cage, giving one of the most every man performances of his life. Paul could be anyone; college educated, very unassuming, a little pretentious and a little rough around the edges, but very well be your neighbor. Cage is underestimated, but very often we know we are watching Cage. Dream Scenario is that rare instance where that could not be further from the case. He completely loses all of his usual Nic Cage tells and is Paul — not really loveable, desperate for attention and validation, and very overlooked. He isn’t Cage in this, and it serves the narrative well.
And what a haunting narrative — Paul’s appearances in people’s dreams inflates his fragile ego, but in these dreams he also never does anything, simply walking by or ignoring the situation. And while this is frustrating to Paul, he also kind of loves the celebrity that comes with it even though he is ill prepared for the blowback when his wish comes true, and he does start acting in dreams — like a villain. He also is becoming famous for something he does not want to be known for; he is an academic and he is basically a meme. Online, people have the ability to go viral overnight and become household names. With this opportunity coming quickly and at any time, a lot of these internet phenomena are not prepared for the rise and fall of their celebrity. While people may not be appearing in dreams, they are certainly pushing for that star status to escape the ordinary of their lives.
Watching Paul take this on is relatable for so many who cannot withstand the pressures of fame because they aren’t prepared for it. Their own narrative can spin out of their control, turning them into monsters when they don’t even know how or why it got so out of hand. Terrifying but oddly realistic, this movie drives home the point to be careful what you wish for — something it does much better than that AWFUL Wish film. It also drives home how this narrative doesn’t even have to turn people into monsters, but rather something they just don’t want to be. Celebrity culture is reliant on the public opinion, and as his image spirals further from his own control, he wonders if it was worth it at all, especially when his family starts to suffer. Yet he also thinks if he isn’t famous, he might never get his shot at his real goals: a book deal.
(The use of advertising to people in dreams is also something that feels almost tangible in the next few years which AH!)
Dream Scenario, a title that is a delightful play on the concept, is something to behold. I wish it had received more buzz and hype as it ran through the indie circuit. but at the same time I can understand why it falls a little flat for people. As much as I hyped it up, it fails to really punch in on these promising ideas; the concepts can beat you over the head but also there’s no real satisfying payoff. Matthews is a character whose ending is not filled with poetic justice, but just simply one that happens to him, much like everything else in his life. Yet I do not believe every movie needs a true gut punch of an ending, and I think Paul’s ending is more realistic than we would all like to believe. Dream Scenario is something to behold, and Cage really is giving a performance so different for him that I think it’s worth viewing once or twice to really grasp how different this film is for him.
It’s one of those movies that feels like a vivid dream, the ones that you will never be able to tell whether it was fiction or not.