DREAM LOVER (1993)

 

Written & Directed By: Nicholas Kazan  Cinematography: Jean Yves Escoffier  Editor: Susan Cruthcher and Jill Savitt

Cast: James Spader, Madchen Amick, Bess Armstrong, Larry Miller, Frederic Lehne, Kathleen York, William Shockley, Carl Sundstrom, Clyde Kusatsu

Ray is young, charming, successful, and the owner of a prosperous architecture company. However, he has recently gone through a very painful divorce. His friends try to cheer him up by showing him the positive sides of being single but for Ray marriage and stability are just too important. But when he meets Lena his gloom is quickly forgotten. She is beautiful, sensual, and mysterious and he is drawn to her like a moth to a candle. They marry quickly, have their first child and Ray lives in total bliss. But then strange incidents occur which shed some light on Lena's background. Ray slowly realizes that he hardly knows anything about her at all. Who has he really married?

A movie that I have read about and cursed my oath many times but never drank the Kool-Aid to watch it.

Now watching g ti for the very first time it is very much of its time in the early 90’s as it feels like it has some holdovers from the 1980’s the wardrobe, score, and setups. The film seems to go for Glamour shots while trying to protest a certain reality 

The one thing that shines above all else is that it’s rare to see James soarer mroe as the person being taken rather than the villain. Though this is Madchen Amick’s movie truly. As she is a femme fatale who truly plays her prey like a piano

The movie seems Buck convention as it feels like an earlier version of the recent release DEEP WATER directed by Adrian Lyne.  where the lead wants to get to know his wife’s Past and the more he does it becomes an obsession once she lets him find out she openly Lies to him and he is so much in love he wants to believe it as it fulfills his fantasy about her and gets to stay with her. She is his fantasy and everything he wants and so desperately wants to believe even if it goes against his happiness ultimately or maybe this is all his fetish

The movie already hit his mental fragility with scenes at a circus in his dreams. Which feels like it’s trying to be too artistic. 

Again Madchen Amick is the reason to see the movie overall coming off of Twin Peaks at the time. Her character is cold, sexy, smart, and calculating. With a chic wardrobe, she would be a screen legend in this role only the film fails to really support her or rise to her level.

The film at times tries to be sexy and erotic but only she truly is in the end. Even as the film tries to be sexual quite a few times.

James Spader is perfectly cast also as he is handsome but has something off-putting about him as the character. Who seems to overthink except when it comes to the things and people he should. 

Though the character's fascination as well as the film and audience is what is the battery of this film. This is a polished film but not one that is beautifully put together.

If you are a fan of movies you can see what is going to happen from the beginning. You just watch to see how it will happen and what exactly is the end goal. No matter what she can provide the receipts. Though a last-minute reveal that is never shown only talked about comes across as weak.

The ending feels right, but also feels a bit too complex and comes across as it thinks it’s smart too much. While simple it is also brief. 

The film might have been stronger if we saw this whirlwind romance as romantic in the first place or too good to be true and then started to wonder if this Is a con or if is it all in his head.

The film also comes across as a little too wasp-ish. It's absolutely whitewashed. As there is very little real passion. It just seems like everyone is going through the motions. No matter how much I wanted to like it. It feels a bit melodramatic and thrilling.

This neo-noir takes place mostly in the daytime. Leaves itself to be too transparent at times. 

Grade: C