Change Your Image
herald_teresa
Reviews
American Dreamer (1984)
Beautiful, Glorious and Heartbreaking
Jo Beth does a beautiful job of portraying a housewife in a dead end marriage, getting the opportunity of a lifetime - winning a trip to Paris based on her writing abilities.
Once in Paris, an accident robs her of her memory and she automatically assumes the identity of the heroine of the novels she reads, incidentally dragging the real author into her fantasy world.
It is exhilerating how her belief sweeps all before her, bringing a new love into her life. It's also heartbreaking when the two identities finally collide, dropping her out of the fantasy. This was done in the most public and humiliating way possible, typical of American comedic film-making, which I don't agree with.
In the end, the housewife emerges victorious, free and stronger than she has ever been in her life.
Tom Conti as the hapless author is also brilliant, a wonderful counterpoint to Jo Beth. :)