I am a big fan of A24 and Ari Aster and I think you can tell that Dream Scenario was something Ari Aster had a hand in. Dream Scenario is written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli and like last year’s Beau is Afraid from A24, this is on freaking weird movie that is sure to be beloved by many and thought of as too weird by many others!
How to Download Dream Scenario
Dream Scenario was released on November 10, 2023. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform such as Amazon Prime Video or iTunes. Click on the Download button at the end of this review, check the current availability, and make your choice.
The Movie Review
One of the things that grabbed people’s attention about Dream Scenario was that it starred Nicolas Cage. I have to say, this is some of the best acting I have seen from Nicolas Cage in a while as he is not full-on “Nic Cage”. I think some people have forgotten what a talented actor he is as he has been doing the crazy typical Nic Cage thing for so long now.
The Plot of Dream Scenario
The movie is about a family man called Paul who is played by Nicolas Cage and is a biology professor. Paul is a pretty normal guy who has a normal life and is pretty much just doing what he does and getting through life. The movie does a great job of letting us know what the twist is very early on.
The Twist in Paul’s Life
You see, Paul has been appearing in the dreams of people all over the world. He tends to be just there, watching what is going on, showing next to no emotion in the process. Paul feels like a very relatable character. He wants more out of life, but he’s not sure how to get it and with a work colleague of his about to step on his toes by writing a book, things take a turn.
The Dark Turn of Events
Paul keeps on appearing in people’s dreams. However, things start to take a darker and sinister turn with some really weird stuff happening in people’s dreams. The movie then shows that people start to turn on Paul and even though he is not responsible for what is going on in people’s dreams, it is like they are blaming him for it.
Paul’s personal life starts to unravel and we basically go on this journey with him. You may have noticed I have yet to say what kind of movie this is and that is because it is hard to put this in just one category. I guess I would have to say that it is more of a black comedy than anything else. It has some hilarious scenes in it, but it also has some stuff that is just super weird.
Conclusion of Dream Scenario
One thing that I did like about Dream Scenario was that it was not a super long movie. Hey, I love A24, but they do make some very long movies, but this is not one of them. The pacing is good, it keeps moving forward and I was having a fun time for pretty much all of the movie, but then it ended.
I liked the way Paul’s story came to a close, but I really wanted to know more about what the hell was going on here. Granted, you could argue that not knowing the full details of this “phenomenon” makes it even weirder and better. Still, a little nod to something more concrete about what the deal was would have been appreciated.
Personal Thoughts on Dream Scenario
Dream Scenario is in no way as weird and disturbing as Beau is Afraid and I did not think the “weirdness” felt as forced either. This is a fun and weird time and I had a lot of fun discussing this with my wife on the drive home. If you like Nicolas Cage and want to see a movie that is super odd, I recommend you give this a try.
