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American Dreamz

Play trailer Poster for American Dreamz PG-13 2006 1h 47m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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39% Tomatometer 182 Reviews 31% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Hoping to shock the president (Dennis Quaid) out of an apparent nervous breakdown, the White House chief of staff (Willem Dafoe) books him as a guest judge on the country's hottest TV talent show. With a ruthless host (Hugh Grant), a conniving singer (Mandy Moore), and a sleeper-cell terrorist in the mix, the stage is set for an unforgettable program.
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American Dreamz

American Dreamz

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Critics Consensus

A cheerfully silly satire with an unfortunate lack of focus, American Dreamz takes aim at numerous targets, but isn't pointed enough for relevant social commentary.

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Critics Reviews

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Donald Clarke Irish Times 04/01/2019
Still, it is gratifying to come across a mainstream film that seems happy to risk offending so many different groups. And, best of all, Weitz bravely declines to chicken out and give us a cosy ending. Go to Full Review
Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal 04/01/2019
Don't be offended, none of this really means anything, it's just a goof about a lot of dumb stuff going down around us. Go to Full Review
Anthony Quinn Independent (UK) 04/01/2019
The film takes on more than it knows how to handle, and what starts out as a standard poke-in-the-eye of TV switches its satiric focus to the incompetence of terrorists and politicians, the heartlessness of celebs, and even the mess of Iraq. Go to Full Review
Micheal Compton Bowling Green Daily News 11/20/2019
B-
An all-over-the-map satire of American Idol where there are enough positives to outweigh the negatives. Go to Full Review
Alberto Abuín Espinof 06/28/2019
They wanted to cover too many things, and in some cases they have stayed halfway. [Full Review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Mike Goodridge Screen International 04/01/2019
Too broad and obvious to rate as satire, the film is finally neither focused nor acidic enough to say anything meaningful about the sorry state of the US. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Blu B Aug 18 It's not just funny, unfocused, and becomes so boring, it also feels dated. I'm not sure what this is satrizing besides the year 2006 in general. It feels like it's trying to do a Robert Altman style multiple storylines coming together to form a critique on a specific industry/subject matter but doesn't know what exactly it wants to say. On top of that everything here is subpar. This looks cheap despite having a significant cast for 06'. It feels on the nose how it portrays Bush as an idiot. Looking back it's crazy how many ways he was bashed. The music numbers are karaoke quality despite being an American Idol ripoff. Not sure if that's the joke or not. Than it becomes so boring in the second half despite being a it more focused and less jumpy. Is this about American Idol satrizing? The Bush Presidency? Our perception of Muslims? Something else? 2006 in general? I don't think this even knows but it's not very funny and not very good for sure. Skip This. See more W. W May 25 This one’s a quirky mix — part political satire, part pop culture spoof, and surprisingly relevant even years later. It definitely tries to juggle a lot: reality TV, presidential politics, terrorism, and fame obsession. Not everything lands, but when it does, it’s sharp and oddly entertaining. Mandy Moore plays the ambitious pop star role perfectly — equal parts charming and ruthless — and Hugh Grant is in his element as the jaded reality show host. The tone shifts can be a bit jarring, and some plotlines feel like they belong in different movies, but somehow it still comes together. It’s not for everyone, and it won’t be everyone’s kind of humour. But if you’re up for a satire that swings big and isn’t afraid to be weird, it’s worth a watch. It might not be perfect, but it’s definitely memorable. See more 06/16/2021 A dated satire that hit the right notes in a dullish, charmless matter, squandering a good cast in mishandled characterization. (B-) See more 01/14/2021 Great movie! I've watched it several times now. It is particularly delightful for people who love Broadway musicals. See more steve d 06/24/2020 It can't settle on a tone so the actors get lost trying to play a million at once. See more uncle p 02/12/2020 Story/Screenplay: (3.5/5) An OK comedy, it's more thought-provoking than funny. Duration/Tempo: (3/5) At 1 hour and 47 minutes, it's an average length movie that feels a little longer. Cast & Crew: (3.5/5) Interesting array of acting talent. Dennis Quaid and Mandy Moore stand out, but the rest of the cast is also pretty good. Summary: (3/5) Not sure where this movie fails, but it felt a little long and was not as funny as it should have been. See more Read all reviews
American Dreamz

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American Dreamz

American Dreamz: Official Clip - 6 Months Later American Dreamz: Official Clip - 6 Months Later 2:02 American Dreamz: Official Clip - Dreams With a Z American Dreamz: Official Clip - Dreams With a Z 3:31 American Dreamz: Official Clip - The President's Speech American Dreamz: Official Clip - The President's Speech 1:53 American Dreamz: Official Clip - Mommy Don't Drink Me to Bed Tonight American Dreamz: Official Clip - Mommy Don't Drink Me to Bed Tonight 1:39 American Dreamz: Official Clip - Meet the Contestants American Dreamz: Official Clip - Meet the Contestants 2:02 American Dreamz: Official Clip - You Have Been Omer-ized! American Dreamz: Official Clip - You Have Been Omer-ized! 2:06 American Dreamz: Official Clip - Singing Contestants American Dreamz: Official Clip - Singing Contestants 2:09 American Dreamz: Official Clip - I'm Leaving You American Dreamz: Official Clip - I'm Leaving You 1:37 American Dreamz: Official Clip - My Way American Dreamz: Official Clip - My Way 2:35 American Dreamz: Official Clip - You Slept With Him?! American Dreamz: Official Clip - You Slept With Him?! 1:55 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Hoping to shock the president (Dennis Quaid) out of an apparent nervous breakdown, the White House chief of staff (Willem Dafoe) books him as a guest judge on the country's hottest TV talent show. With a ruthless host (Hugh Grant), a conniving singer (Mandy Moore), and a sleeper-cell terrorist in the mix, the stage is set for an unforgettable program.
Director
Paul Weitz
Producer
Rodney Liber, Andrew Miano, Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
Screenwriter
Paul Weitz
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
NBC Ajans, NBC Universal Television
Rating
PG-13 (Some Sexual References|Brief Strong Language)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 21, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 13, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$7.2M
Runtime
1h 47m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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