Dreamers

The young leads, through the use of the writers words, lead us from the "wasteland" to the "grail"! The brief scene in the coffee house lines out their success almost too rapidly. This climax is when we expect the happiest of all possible endings. Again the fine writing & the high Quality performances of the two friends, reminds us that dreams are just that. Fragments, fragile, frail and subject to interpretation and if we are lucky our dreams can come around again. Fine film, well acted, written, directed, and produced.

The director/writer to Dreamers is a unique talent. This movie proves it. It is refreshing to see a character driven movie without fancy special effects. Actually there were special effects but they were done the old fashioned way. With a movie camera, direction, and imagination. Their is a signature piece of camera-work with the use of mirrors that is reminiscent of great filmmakers. Dreamers is smoky and sexy. It's easy to get caught up in the hopes and dreams of these characters and it's fun to watch their transformation as the push through their journey to the top in Hollywood. I look forward to seeing Ms. Lu's movies in the future.

This film is about as self-reflexive as you can get: an indie film about making indie films. Midwesterner Dave follows his more street-wise friend Ethan to Hollywood with the intention of making it big as filmmakers. But it's not all fun and games in La-la land, as Dave comes to find out. Jordan and Ballou give excellent performances as Dave and Ethan, respectively. Dreamers is independent filmmaking at its best.

I was fortunate enough to see Dreamers at a screening in Los Angeles, and I was struck by the poetry of this film. Because Ann Lu is a native of China, I think she brings a unique perspective to Hollywood and the tale of two young filmmakers obsessed with making cinema. It's a Hollywood we don't normally see -- a world of subtle compromises, quiet ambition, and relentless dreams. Where most films about film-making depict the struggles of Hollywood through cliché, this film reveals its protagonist through his dysfunctional relationship with his possessive mother. Lu shows us the painful reality of broken homes, and how that pain follows us and influences us well into adulthood. The direction here is evocative of the French new wave, with suburb acting. It is a must for those fascinated by what propels, shatters, and ultimately fulfills our dreams.

I had the oppurtunity to attend a sneak preview of this movie before it was released. While I think that Lu is a terrific story-teller and I would like to see what she has in store next, this movie did nothing for me. I've seen a story similar to this many times. The actor's were all adequate. I don't know what it was but it was a very unpleasant movie to watch, and you're reading a comment by a guy who thought Boogie Nights is one of the best movies of the decade. The characters were all kind of cardboard. I couldn't relate to any of them on a personal level. I definately understand if people like it though because there's a lot to like.