American Dreamz (2006, DVD)

A recent trip to the video store sent me to the clearance rack to look at used DVD s that were really cheap. One of them that I came across was American Dreamz.

The Plot or Plots

This is a movie about a show called American Dreamz. Some would say that it is a spoof of American Idol. The show has people sing, and American votes one out each week just like on American Idol. The main differences between the American Dreamz and American Idol is that contestants are not chosen by live try outs, but rather through entries sent in, with each contestant being hand picked, by the shows host and Martin Tweed (Hugh Grant) and a small staff. Tweed is getting kind of bored of the whole show and in true reality TV fashion he wants to spice the show up a bit, by having more controversial contestants on the show, what better way to be controversial in these times that to put someone from Iraq on the show.

When Tweed s assistants to out to inform an Iraqi American that he has been chosen to be on the show, they see his cousin Omer singing and sign him up for the show instead. The thing they don t know about Omer is that he has come to America fresh from the terrorist military and is awaiting a possible terrorist assignment, while he lives with his Americanized Aunt and Uncle and their two kids. Omer is not really happy about that whole idea, but hopes that he will never have to act on the whole terrorist thing. He was really sent away to actually get him out of the way. Omer has always loved show tunes and that is pretty much all he really cares about. His loud playing and singing of show tunes at the terrorist camp were not making him all that popular there. When other terrorists see that he has gotten on one of the most popular shows in America they see an opportunity for an attack on American soil, and on television none the less.

The movie also zooms in on another contestant Sally Kendoo (Mandy Moore) who is more of your typical singing competition type person. She is pretty and talented and just the type of person who normally wins this type of show. To make her just a little more likable her agent decides that she needs some kind of human interest story. There is that much really to tell about her, except her ex-boyfriend has just returned injured from the war in Iraq. So Sally takes him back, of course the public doesn t know they broke up. Sally really doesn t like him all that much but hey, what ever helps her career, right?

This movie also has two plots, and they eventually intertwine. The other plot is about the President of the United States President Staton (Dennis Quaid. He had recently had some kind of a mental break down and had not been seen recently in the public eye, while he spent time recuperating. Meanwhile the Vice President was kind of taking over, and feeding the President what to say through an ear piece. This whole thing I think is a jab at our current President for having a reputation for listening to and following his advisors rather than thinking for himself. (Note: This is my interpretation of the movie not my thoughts or feelings about the current administration, I keep my political opinions to myself.) The first lady played by Marsha Gay Harding stands by her man throughout.

As I said above the President s story and the American Dreamz story line eventually intertwine, but I have probably said to much already just setting this movie up, so if you want to know how you will have to watch the movie, although it is probably fairly obvious.


My Thoughts

I can not really think of any good reasons why children could not watch this, there was no nudity, sex, or violence. If there was bad language it was far and between and I really didn't notice it. Parents may want to point out that terrorists are not really funny guys, but that is purely up to you.

I have pretty mixed feelings about this movie as I am sure many Americans did. On one hand the movie was kind of funny, had some nice singing in it, and had a fairly interesting plot. On the other hand it made light of terrorists and I just can not say that is cool in any way shape or form. I am not really talking about the Omer character, I don t believe that he had any desire to be a terrorist, but there are other characters in the show that did. These characters were put in comical situations, and I think they were even trying to make these guys likeable and funny. I know this is supposed to be a comedy and therefore everything should be kept light and all but come on.

Most of the movie was entertaining, and some of the characters were very likable, Omer in particular. I laughed out loud a few times. Towards the end of the movie it started to get a little stupid, and the end of the movie was shall we say, really stupid. But it was probably true to form for this type of movie.

On the good side the acting is very good, and the cast is full of great actors and actresses. Who played their parts well (both the likable and the abrasive).

I can almost say I liked this movie but it just misses the mark. The fact that it makes light of terrorists kind of ruins it for me and the stupid ending just puts the movie on the edge for me. American Dreamz is kind of toppling over the like and do not like buckets for me, and I honestly don t know which bucket I would knock this one into. I can t give it a 3 because I just can t. On the other hand I don t want to say don t see it because it is not a terrible movie, it just has an unforgivable flaw. That wouldn t lose it more than a star ordinarily, but with the stupid ending, I am going to have to go with 2 stars.

Note: The DVD features are kind of fun, and you will find more singing there, and some pretty fun deleted scenes.