Dream Lover (1994)

Réalisateur:

Nicholas Kazan

Scénariste (WGA):

Nicholas Kazan (written by)

Release Date:

6 mai 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drame | Mystery | Thriller

Accroche:

If you think you know your lover. Think again. Especially if she's your wife.

Plot:

Ray is young, charming, successful and the owner of a prosperous architect company. However, he has recently gone trough a very painful divorce...

Plot Keywords:

Driven Mad | Fashion Model | Enigmatic | Couple | Femme Fatale

Awards:

1 nomination

Avis des utilisateurs:

Incoherent but somewhat worthwhile thriller

Ensemble

James Spader	...	Ray Reardon
Mädchen Amick	...	Lena Mathers
Fredric Lehne	...	Larry
Bess Armstrong	...	Elaine
Larry Miller	...	Norman
Kathleen York	...	Martha
Kate Williamson	...	Mrs. Sneeder
Tom Lillard	...	Hank Sneeder
William Shockley	...	Buddy
Carl Sundstrom	...	Officer
Irwin Keyes	...	Officer
Joel McKinnon Miller	...	Minister
Joseph Scoren	...	Martha's Lawyer (as Joseph Scorsiani)
Archie Lang	...	Judge #1
Clyde Kusatsu	...	Judge Kurita

Autre(s) titre(s) :

Une épouse trop parfaite (Canada: French title) [fr]

Durée:

103 min | 108 min (unrated version)

Pays:

USA

Langue:

Anglais | Allemand

Couleur:

Couleur

Son:

Dolby

Classification:

South Korea:18 | Singapore:M18 | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Germany:16 | Ireland:15 | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | UK:18 | USA:R

Company:

Edward R. Pressman Film

Guillemet:

Lena: They say you replace every molecule in your body every seven years. I changed my name eight years ago. No more Thelma Sneeder.

Soundtrack:

JUST YOU

Incoherent but somewhat worthwhile thriller

Dream Lover is one odd little film. On one hand, it's a Neo-Noir style mystery romantic thriller, but for some reason; supernatural themes are constantly hinted at through the tone, title and dream sequences featured throughout the film. I have to say that it really looks like director Nicholas Kazan wasn't really sure what he wanted the film to be, and what we've ended up with is a disjointed blending of a few different genres, which hasn't come out all that well. Still, Dream Lovers does manage an interesting story in spite of this; and while I'm biased because I love a good mystery thriller, I'd say it's just about worth seeing. The plot focuses on Ray Reardon (not the snooker player), a man who has just split with his wife. It's not long before he meets the beautiful Lena Mathers, whom he falls in love, marries and has kids with...before realising that he doesn't really know anything about her. Oops! Around the same time, strange events transpire and it becomes obvious to Ray that Lena isn't who she appears to be, and so he endeavours to get to the bottom of who she is.

James Spader takes the lead role and both acts and looks the part that he is playing. He is joined by the suitably sexy Mädchen Amick, who is both sultry and seductive in her role. The leads do have chemistry together, and while the film is in no way as sexy as Nicholas Kazan obviously thinks it is, there are no problems on the acting front. The plot really is all over the place, yet somehow it still manages to be rather predictable and despite being a mystery, Dream Lover soon sets itself into a rhythm. I don't like the title very much, as it gives the complete wrong impression of the film - and while it sort of makes sense given what happens, it could have been marketed better. It all boils down to a decent enough ending which, while not very clever, manages to make sense in spite of the fact that it's all a little bit silly, and the final sequence is by far and away the most powerful in the film. Overall, I can't really give Dream Lovers high recommendations, but it's enjoyable and I think the majority of negative comments directed against it are unfair.