A friend wondered what I might make of Dream Scenario. As much as I like movies I can’t keep up, what with a 9-2-5 job and writing my own books. I’m really glad, however, that I learned about it. It’s one of those movies with a difficult to define genre. IMDb tags it as “comedy,” “drama,” and “fantasy.” Rotten Tomatoes goes this route: “Comedy/ Drama/ Mystery & Thriller/ Horror.” Is there anything this movie is not? There are definitely some horror cues here, but it doesn’t feel especially like horror. Except when it does. Ari Aster, one of the producers, is associated with “art horror” films—think Hereditary. Think Midsommar. And it’s an A24 movie, but I’ve read that they’re moving a bit away from horror (the only kind of movie for which I know them). So what is Dream Scenario?
In brief, it is the best I’ve seen from Nicholas Cage. I’ve liked some of his films, but this one is incredible. Certainly the story helps. Paul Matthews (Cage) is an unremarkable biology professor who suddenly begins appearing in people’s dreams. Nobody can figure out why, but when the story gets on social media he becomes famous. Everyone loves him. Then something happens. The dreams become nightmares and everyone turns on him. That summary doesn’t do justice to the film, but it’s essentially what goes on. The telling of the tale, however, is masterful. The nightmares, which are briefly shown, are what make this any kind of horror. There’s no lingering over the fear. It’s just part of Paul’s new life.
The closest I’ve come to encountering this idea is the novels by Hank Green: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor. Of course, Green knows what fame is like—something few accomplish. The movie explores how fickle it can be and how swiftly and viciously it can turn on those who find it. In that regard Dream Scenario is also an exploration of life in the internet era. It’s a time when the kids have to be asked to put down their phones for family time over a meal. When the result of constant connection is “trauma.” Unlike fame in the last millennium, “going viral” is just a matter of waiting until someone comes along with something that the net likes better. And the commentary about how to merch shared dreams takes this in quite a different direction from Inception. Dreams are strange, and remain poorly understood. This is a movie that will make you ponder how much they are like the internet, and the results can sometimes be a nightmare.
