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Potato Dreams of America

Play trailer Poster for Potato Dreams of America Released Jan 14, 2022 1h 35m Comedy LGBTQ+ Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
91% Tomatometer 43 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Wes Hurley's autobiographical dark comedy about a gay boy growing up in the collapsing USSR, his courageous mail-order bride mother and their adventurous escape to America. Full of unexpected twists, the film is an immigrant's take on the American Dream and the power of cinema, proving that life is often stranger than fiction.
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Potato Dreams of America

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Critics Consensus

Although it's undermined by uneven execution and a subpar script, Potato Dreams of America puts a singular spin on the crowded coming-of-age genre.

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Critics Reviews

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Soren Andersen Seattle Times Two very strong performances anchor “Potato Dreams of America,” Seattle-based filmmaker Wes Hurley’s thought-provoking dramatization of his childhood in his native Russia and, later, as a teen in Seattle. Rated: 3/4 Mar 9, 2022 Full Review Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News It’s entertaining, and even sexy at times in ways that are distinctive and inventive. Rated: 3/4 Feb 9, 2022 Full Review Gary Goldstein Los Angeles Times The film, sweet as it is, fails to strike a manageable or engaging enough tone as it treads some overly familiar territory... Jan 13, 2022 Full Review Alessandra Rangel InSession Film Potato Dreams of America is a sweet and endearing story about a boy and his mother that go through a total transformation to get the life they always wanted. Rated: B+ Mar 14, 2023 Full Review Michael A. Smith MediaMikes Hurley’s script is quite funny, especially in the first act, where Potato and Lena do their best to tolerate those who are intolerable among them. Rated: 3.5/5 Oct 10, 2022 Full Review Gregg Shapiro Bay Area Reporter Hurley harvests his storytelling skills, resulting in a bumper crop of emotions, with laughter and tears in equal measure. Rated: B+ Sep 21, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (12) audience reviews
Michael D Entertaining and amusing and kept my attention :) Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/29/24 Full Review Angelo G Wild coming of age movie. Jonathan Bennett as Jesus is hysterical my Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/02/24 Full Review Ty N It's important to remember that the story is autobiographical. While the writing and presentation feel crude, the film has a lot of heart and humor. The leads' performances are solid and engaging. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/24 Full Review Paul S What a nice surprise. Quality filmmaking. very good script. Interesting, compelling story. the tone was unique and wonderfully consistent throughout. Nearly a Wes Anderson look to it - nicely framed colorful scenes. (I did connect to this story better than Wes Anderson movies- they are not the same just some similarities). This guy is a good filmmaker. Great decisions made. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/31/23 Full Review Peter C I pretty much loved this movie. It's a bit rough in the execution, but at its core it's a wonderful story. It's not horse-snort funny but it's way funny enough. I presume it's fairly true, so I don't think it can be criticized for implausibility. Both Young Potato, and American Potato are good actors, but American Potato (Tyler Bocock) really has something about him. I hope he makes more features. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/03/23 Full Review Cristina G I am no critic, and signed up to write this concise review: I loved it. No, I adored it! It is genius! Unique. Magnificent story. Extraordinary directorial and editorial skills. If Wes Hurley's mum is like that: she is an angel fallen from the sky. Truly. I am blown away by the acting, too. Maybe not so concise in the end, but I am in disbelief at how great this movie is. Jesus Christ! Beautiful. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Wes Hurley's autobiographical dark comedy about a gay boy growing up in the collapsing USSR, his courageous mail-order bride mother and their adventurous escape to America. Full of unexpected twists, the film is an immigrant's take on the American Dream and the power of cinema, proving that life is often stranger than fiction.
Director
Wes Hurley
Producer
Mischa Jakupcak, Wes Hurley
Screenwriter
Wes Hurley
Distributor
Dark Star Pictures
Production Co
Doco Digital
Genre
Comedy, LGBTQ+, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 14, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 22, 2022
Runtime
1h 35m
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