American Dreamer, 2024.
Directed by Paul Dektor.
Starring Peter Dinklage, Shirley MacLaine, Danny Pudi, Kimberly Quinn, Danny Glover, Matt Dillon, Michelle Mylett, Rebecca Olson, C. Ernst Harth, Donald Heng, Kimberley Shoniker, Raresh DiMofte, and Jennifer Juniper Angeli.
SYNOPSIS:
Phil’s a dreamer. Most dreams don’t come true. Phil hates that. But that’s not going to stop Phil from dreaming.
With a title like American Dreamer and a protagonist who daydreams, not to mention a chapter structure implying that everything we are witnessing is meant to serve as inspiration for a novel, the logical thing to do is question what’s real and what isn’t as this absurd story flies off the rails. However, aside from the occasional brief imaginary model girlfriend, every ridiculous plot development here is actually happening, even though it would be more believable if this were a look into a psychotic breakdown blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.
There’s nothing wrong with the premise from director Paul Dektor (courtesy of screenwriter Theodore Melfi), which is actually inspired by some truth first heard about on a radio program, although anyone with a functioning brain who has ever observed human beings interacting with one another will quickly realize that once this movie goes off the rails and keeps flipping and spiraling in midair, the true story element has been exaggerated to high hell.
Essentially, the film is centered on miserable, lonely, alcoholic, and underpaid economics teacher Phil Loder (Peter Dinklage trying his damnedest to wring out some emotional honesty here, somehow developing lively chemistry with his cast mates, and nevertheless continuously likable for his resistance to taking condescending dwarfism roles but rather playing regular people who could seemingly exist in the real world and are not defined by their disability, even if some of these projects are, well, to put it nicely, not good) with hopes of living in a luxurious home far out of his pay range. He gives financial advice to well-off students he mostly has nothing but disdain for simply because his guidance will likely ensure that they are never in his unfortunate financial situation. Meanwhile, he believes that his ability to see economic trends before they happen will allow him to anticipate the housing market, granting him an opportunity to flip whatever dream home he purchases into a sale that makes him rich.
While frequently bickering with his realtor (Matt Dillon), Phil comes across a newspaper advertisement for a mansion seeking someone to either buy the home outright or the much cheaper live-in option, whereupon the death of the owner, that person would become the sole possessor. Shirley MacLaine’s Astrid Fanelli is the owner, apparently on death’s door with no children to inherit the home. As such, Phil empties his life savings, puts together a garage sale, and sells his car to come up with the upfront payment for the live-in option, which is actually a closed-off, claustrophobic space somewhere off to the side.
Until this point, American Dreamer is somewhat engaging; Phil has a clear perspective on what he wants and makes it happen, theoretically leaving the rest of the story up to find out if it really is the key to him finding some happiness in this world. However, it quickly turns out that whatever Astrid told the realtor was sketchy, as she doesn’t seem to be dying, and several people, such as a plumber and attorney, drop by the house and claim to be her kids. Naturally, this attorney daughter Maggie (Kimberly Quinn) is not thrilled when she learns about the contractual arrangement Phil and Astrid have, accusing him of taking advantage of a dwindling mental state.
There is some genuine drama to be found there, but American Dreamer is more concerned with giving Peter Dinklage heaps of slapstick comedy to work with, frequently tripping over the place and busting himself up while sneaking off and investigating the home for clues on Astrid’s personal life. To his credit, he handles that material well, also eliciting lasts from his emotional pain and ensuing public breakdowns from everything about this endeavor going wrong.
For some inexplicable reason, there is also a subplot where a 30-year-old graduate student has a crush on Phil. As a matter of fact, it turns out everyone he comes into contact with ends up finding something desirable about him. Unsurprisingly, Phil grows closer to Astrid, finding himself torn between hoping she passes away peacefully soon and admiring her resiliency in old age. In one of the film’s most ludicrous scenes, he saves her life even when he is the one who had rigged her demise during a depressive, drunken state the night before.
American Dreamer comes across like the filmmakers had wanted to transition this tale of loneliness into a story about found family, but mostly becomes preposterous with nearly every new plot development. It’s a fascinating disaster with some imagination to its craziness alongside Peter Dinklage and Shirley MacLaine trying to bring out some character depth. Even then, the lessons are obvious and driven home in a forced, corny fashion (and part of the revelation behind the kids showing up at the house is painfully obvious from the get-go). It’s all but guaranteed that whatever the actual true story is, it’s more affecting than this.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
