American Dreamz

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American Dreamz

PG-13

Released Apr 21, 2006

1h 47m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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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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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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

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.

Apr 1, 2019

Full Review

Joe Morgenstern

Wall Street Journal

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.

Apr 1, 2019

Full Review

Anthony Quinn

Independent (UK)

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.

Apr 1, 2019

Full Review

Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

An all-over-the-map satire of American Idol where there are enough positives to outweigh the negatives.

Rated: B-

Nov 20, 2019

Full Review

Alberto Abuín

Espinof

They wanted to cover too many things, and in some cases they have stayed halfway. [Full Review in Spanish]

Jun 28, 2019

Full Review

Mike Goodridge

Screen International

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.

Apr 1, 2019

Full Review

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W. W

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.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/25/25

Full Review

Audience Member

A dated satire that hit the right notes in a dullish, charmless matter, squandering a good cast in mishandled characterization. (B-)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Great movie! I've watched it several times now. It is particularly delightful for people who love Broadway musicals.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/05/25

Full Review

steve d

It can't settle on a tone so the actors get lost trying to play a million at once.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

uncle p

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.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

cheesy, corny and so funny! An absolute must see if you dont mind watching a bit of cringe and Hugh Grant being an asshole. Also features a bomb and Mandy Moore, so something for the boys.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

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Paul Weitz

Director

Hugh Grant

Martin Tweed

Dennis Quaid

President Staton

Mandy Moore

Sally Kendoo

Willem Dafoe

Wally Brown

Chris Klein

William Williams

American Dreamz: Official Clip - 6 Months Later

2:02

American Dreamz: Official Clip - Dreams With a Z

3:31

American Dreamz: Official Clip - The President's Speech

1:53

American Dreamz: Official Clip - Mommy Don't Drink Me to Bed Tonight

1:39

American Dreamz: Official Clip - Meet the Contestants

2:02

American Dreamz: Official Clip - You Have Been Omer-ized!

2:06

American Dreamz: Official Clip - Singing Contestants

2:09

American Dreamz: Official Clip - I'm Leaving You

1:37

American Dreamz: Official Clip - My Way

2:35

American Dreamz: Official Clip - You Slept With Him?!

1:55

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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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