Olympic Dreams

It's a fascinating look into the life inside the Olympic Village! Thank you for the artist in residence program that enables this film to happen!

Other reviews have likened this to Lost in Translation and that comparison is spot on. It's the more awkward (yes really!), Geekier, low budget version and I'm just fine with that. Using the real Olympic village during the Olympics is a hugely effective backdrop to the disjointed relationship between two people who feel lost at sea in an ocean of human apathy. The one man camera crew gives access to intimate moments that just aren't possible with a big set up. Quietly affecting, melancholy but with moments of wonder. This movie deserves a watch. 7/10

This film was a delight. Touching, moving, raw, funny. The performances felt very real, even from the Olympians who probably had never acted before. The filmmaker was a one man crew and you wouldn't have guessed after watching it. Nick Kroll killed it. I recommend this movie.

As far as sports romcoms go, this is an unusual movie, in that it's shot at the Olympic Village during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. This very real backdrop is fleshed out in a bunch of scenes with equally real athletes, capturing an unfamiliar flavour.

Starring alongside the established Nick Kroll is the movie's co-writer, Alexi Pappas, former Olympian, just like Gus Kenworthy and Morgan Schild, who also have small roles to play. There's a bit of a Lost in Translation (in sports) feeling to Olympic Dreams, which unfortunately doesn't get the chance to really catch on, as the movie stumbles to its predictable finale. The good thing is Pappas and Kroll are both likable on screen, and Pappas captures a bit of the forlorn solitude of elite athletes and the harsh realities of the Olympic cycle.

Not in enough depth to really make the movie memorable, but sufficiently to put a personal twist to a familiar tale.

This film is as personal as they come. The small cast and crew can be felt in each scene and the warm banter I was left feeling like an estranged friend. I have a special appreciation for the work put in to keep this story authentic. (I see you Jamie!) Overall, a beautiful film.