Daydream Nation

DAYDREAM NATION – CATCH IT ( B+ ) When was the last time you saw something and wished it never stops? Daydream Nation is one of those coming of age movies, which seems so real and beautiful that you want to watch it for longest you can. The director has nicely incorporated coming of age drama with serial killer on the loose and industrial fire burning. Daydream Nation takes us to three different kinds of lives. Firstly into a young city girl (Caroline) who moves to a small town with her dad but unable to adjust with local teenagers as they are not as smart or intellectual like her. Secondly, a lonely druggy boy (Thurston) who thinks, he never got anything right and always looks for something good to happen in his life. Thirdly, a 30+ male teacher (Barry), who seems perfect from outside but is all broken from inside as his life doesn't turn out the way he hoped for. The collision of these three unlikely lives in the backdrop of serial killer on the loose and industrial fire burning is "Daydream Nation". Kat Dennings gave an honest stealer performance, she made her character realist and believable. It's amazing to see her bringing humor, sorrow and bitchiness to the character with so much depth. Reece Thompson has always done something unusual and indie movies lovers defiantly know him from Rocket Science with Anna Kendrick. Reece Thompson defiantly surprised me yet again; he was naïve, emo & druggy who is falling in love for the first time. Josh Lucas is always the pretty man who gets the girls easily, even this time it happens but it also shows the other side of the perfect looking man. In supporting cast Andie MacDowell, Rachel Blanchard, Ted Whittall and especially Landon Liboiron were impressive. Overall a gripping coming of age movie, which will leave a good long lasting effect.

This is just one more in a long line of boring, filmed-in-BC, movies-with-a-message. Don't believe all the four- and five-star fake reviews from the cast and crew; it is formulaic garbage. Like everything else coming out of BC these days, it uses one has-been actor (Andie MacDowell) and a bunch of 25- and 28-year-olds, playing teenagers. There is not one believable scene in the entire movie, and - like every other "message movie" "stalker movie" or "murderer movie" out of BC - it is 99% talk talk talk.

Examples. Wanna get your actors to appear edgy? Portray them hotboxing in a stranger's dad's van. Wanna see what the term "phoning in your performance" really means? Watch Andie MacDowall, who very obviously did this one only for the money.

Typical CBC/Lifetime boring movie, made by too many actors and crew who spent too much time hotboxing and not enough time writing, directing, filming and acting. If you keep waiting for this movie to get better, trust me; it never does.

I think it was a nice movie to have fun for couple of hours and then forget about it. If you are looking for a relax time, i can recommend this movie. This is a teen romantic comedy that gives you exactly what you expect. They meet, they fell in love, nothing surprising or shocking but not cheesy. The performances are quite good,and the movie drag you inside but that's it. Don't expect anything revolutionary or inspiring except for having 2 hours fun.

Actually, I realized only after the half of the movie that I saw this movie before. So, yes. I watch this movie twice just because I forgot that I watch it before. Long story short, it is a fun movie just to watch and forget about it until you watch it again.

This movie is wonderful. I just saw it at the Toronto International Film Festival, and it's great. Written and directed by a young, first time, Canadian director (although you would never guess that) and shot out in a small town in BC. The film is about a teenage girl, Caroline (the beautiful Kat Dennings), who moves to a painfully small town which she hates. There, she observes her fellow high school students get wasted on drugs out of boredom, and people obsess over a serial killer who has yet to be caught. She becomes involved in 2 very different relationships with men, out of boredom, and the rest of the film explores the insecurities that everyone, young and old, experiences in life. It is beautifully shot, with dreamlike cinematography, and has a great balance of both sadness and humour which reflects everyday life.

Kat Dennings's stunning performance just blew me away as a city girl who ends up in a strange small town for a year when "everything happened". She's funny and wry, and the next thing you know she breaks your heart. There's a lovely balance in this movie of humor and lyricism and incredible tension, and Dennings is just one of a number of unforgettable characters. Josh Lucas sneaks up on you with another original performance -- he's charming and despicable and hilarious. But the real surprise is Reece Thompson, who I'd never seen before, as a high school kid muddling his way through grief and first love. The movie looks amazing and the writing sings.