American Dreamz [DVD] [2006]

On paper, it's promising, if hardly radical. Hugh Grant plays the host of a top-rated American talent show. On his quest for ratings, he casts his net far and wide hunting for hopefuls, bringing in the likes of Mandy Moore as he does so. And a wannabe terrorist too. Which doesn't really make too much sense when you watch it either. Throw in an insecure President of the United States--played by Dennis Quaid--who finds himself, thanks to his key adviser (Willem Dafoe) as a guest judge on the show, and you have something of a mess.

What's most surprising is that behind the camera is Paul Weitz, who's of late built upon his initial success with American Pie and brought us the excellent About A Boy (which again starred Grant), and the woefully-underrated In Good Company (which starred Quaid). Yet he's simply unable to work his magic here, as the film simply fails to gel. As a satire, it's targets are too soft and obvious, as a broad comedy it lacks laughs, and even as a straight hour and a half of easy entertainment, it's far too jumbled to be able to relax and enjoy.

There may be an argument that in the midst of all of this is a decent enough movie struggling to break through. But the point is that it doesn't, and given the calibre and curriculum vitaes of some of those involved, American Dreamz has to be classed as a crushing disappointment. --Simon Brew

Synopsis
In order to improve his declining approval rating, US President Joe Staton is thrust into the limelight as a guest judge on hit reality TV show American Dreamz. Head of State Joe Stanton (Dennis Quaid, In Good Company) is going through a bit of a crisis; he’s worryingly out of touch with current affairs, on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and suffering his worst approval rating ever. If he's to regain any credibility, some serious damage control is needed. Leave it to the wily Chief of Staff (Willem Dafoe, Spiderman), who takes it upon himself to enlist Staton as a guest judge on America’s premier reality TV show American Dreamz. But the show’s vainglorious host Martin Tweed (Hugh Grant, About a Boy, in full-on Simon Cowell mode) has his own ratings to think about and will exploit anyone to get those viewing figures up. This includes selecting a group of especially bizarre hopefuls--even by reality TV standards--including Omer, a show-tune singing would-be terrorist! As the contestants lose all perspective and shamelessly clamber to win first place, a sinister plot to blow up the president on national TV is uncovered. American Dreamz takes a very liberal swipe at society's obsession with pop culture--perceived by some as being symbolic of all that’s ill in the West--and is no less outspoken in its political commentary.

• DVD & Blu-ray > Comedy

• Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?