Dear Dictator

Released Mar 16, 2018

1 hr. 30 min.

Comedy

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List

17%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

40%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

When an outcast teen, Tatiana, gets a school assignment to write a letter to a person she admires, she jokingly writes to a foreign dictator named Hector because she likes his fashion sense. Hector takes to the admiration, and the two become unlikely pen pals, however, when Hector has to flee his country during a coup, he seeks refuge in the house of his only remaining friend.

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Critics Consensus

Dear Dictator never comes close to taking advantage of its wildly silly premise -- or the assortment of talented veterans who round out the cast.

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Cork B

Pretty good cast and a pretty good idea. But this thing just fails on execution. It was just plain not funny, and I found myself losing interest in the characters and the story.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/17/23

Full Review

Jesse B

This is a hit or miss comedy meant for very dark people only. Goes too far. Micheal Caine and Katie Holmes shine along with Odeya Rush, at times.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/06/23

Full Review

Peter B

Funny premise but poor execution. Michael Caine was mis-cast as the dictator and didn't bring much energy to the role. Mother-daughter dynamic seemed forced.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/11/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Total train wreck of a film. How in holy heck did Sir Michael Caine get wrapped up in this monstrosity? Maybe he was seeking to negate his film legacy and thought this would be a good way? Like the rebels in the fictional banana republic that Caine's character rules over, let's hope that everyone involved in the making of this film gets put up against the wall. Caine better have fired his agent for this one. And Holmes? She used to be a semi-serious actor. This movie made her career seem deader than her marriage with Cruise. Talk about securing your position on the D-list.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

mike g

Whoever sold Michael Caine on wigs and pubic mustaches should be fired. This is cringe.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Warm-hearted comedy! Definitely would recommend!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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Lisa Addario

Director

Joe Syracuse

Director

Michael Caine

General Anton Vincent

Odeya Rush

Tatiana Mills

Katie Holmes

Darlene Mills

Jason Biggs

Mr. Spines

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Dear Dictator: Trailer 1

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Unfortunately writer-directors Lisa Addario and Joe Syracuse can get only so much mileage out of it, and they cede too much screen time to Katie Holmes as the girl's mother.

Mar 9, 2020

Full Review

Karen Han

The Daily Beast

There's something sharper and smarter in Dear Dictator, but that ground is left regrettably unexplored; it's a film that ultimately doesn't live up to its premise. Going deeper would require considerably more guts.

Mar 16, 2018

Full Review

Simon Abrams

RogerEbert.com

[A] just-shy-of-great teen comedy.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 16, 2018

Full Review

Josh Goller

Spectrum Culture

Appropriates and then drains all subversion out of its punk and revolutionary trappings in favor of contrived, melodramatic pap.

Rated: 1.75/5

Jul 20, 2019

Full Review

Austin Trunick

Under the Radar

Dear Dictator makes you hope for something subversive, and there occasional flashes of potential, but then it always falls back into the easiest, most obvious route.

Rated: 3/10

Jul 2, 2018

Full Review

Susan Granger

SSG Syndicate

While Michael Caine is always fun to watch, unfortunately, the pacing/editing is not on a par with the writing. The satire should have been sharper and more subversive.

Rated: 5/10

May 6, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

When an outcast teen, Tatiana, gets a school assignment to write a letter to a person she admires, she jokingly writes to a foreign dictator named Hector because she likes his fashion sense. Hector takes to the admiration, and the two become unlikely pen pals, however, when Hector has to flee his country during a coup, he seeks refuge in the house of his only remaining friend.

Director: Lisa Addario, Joe Syracuse
Screenwriter: Lisa Addario, Joe Syracuse
Distributor: Cinedigm
Production Co: Cinedigm, Defiant Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 16, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 16, 2018
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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