Potato Dreams of America

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Potato Dreams of America

2022

1h 35m

Comedy

LGBTQ+

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

86%

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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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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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

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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

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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

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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

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Peter K

This was a unique experience as the style was more than unusual. It was surreal at times but by the end it was not an unpleasant 'journey'.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/25/25

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Michael D

Entertaining and amusing and kept my attention :)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/29/24

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Angelo G

Wild coming of age movie. Jonathan Bennett as Jesus is hysterical my

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/02/24

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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

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

dave d

Stylized, but clunky, there are moments, but wow is this a mixed bag. For me, this is a gimmicky film with a Russian and American element used for humor in that 80s Yakov Smirnoff. It is at times amusing, but like Smirnoff, it would be best in a super small dose and not a feature film. Wes Hurley's life is pretty batshit crazy, but the film isn't. Final Score: 6/10

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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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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