American Dreamer

American Dreamer was watched as a screener. It is now out on Digital!

When it comes to the American Dream, usually it involves money, family, a house, and fun. Probably even a green yard and space to frolic.

For Phil (Peter Dinklage), he is a college professor of Economics, so he has served his time well and went to school. He should be able to afford that American Dream everyone talks about? Hell no, he lives in a small apartment, with an old car, and dreams of owning a home, but the price of that has skyrocketed beyond ability. Everything is lost.

Thankfully, Phil does see an ad for a very large mansion like building, with a giant yard, and lake access. It has a hefty fee, out of his range, but there is a secondary, cheaper fee. He can buy it for half of the price listed, if the current owner can stay in it until her death, then he will own the whole thing. He just has to keep to his portion of the house and lawn until then.

Unfortunately for Phil, this dream opportunity can become a nightmare. He has to get rid of everything to afford his share, things keep going wrong, and the live-in woman, Astrid (Shirley MacLaine), might have actual children. This is going to create a will dispute and he might not even get any part of the house once she passes. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

Also starring Danny Pudi, Matt Dillon, Michelle Mylett, Kimberly Quinn, and Danny Glover.

I too get that look when I find myself living with an old lady. It happens so often!

This movie had a bigger slapstick nature than I thought. Sure the poster shows him looking beat up, but I still didn’t expect to see my man Dinklage slip out of a shower and fall ass up onto the floor.

It was a highlight to see the cameos throughout the film. I enjoyed Glover praying a private eye who was incredibly good at his job, and offended at the same time. Pudi as some sort of HR/Dean/something at the college felt like a good fit for him.

The movie had an interesting plot line for a story, but the main issue is how little the main plot seemed to really get going. I felt no real chemistry between our main character and his housemate. I didn’t feel much between them and the antagonizing daughter. The plot with the grad student just sort of fizzled out into nothing. And I never really understood why Dinklage’s character just gave up so much over his dream, and so quickly.

Regardless, the movie has its interesting moments and decent enough twist to it. It is not a turd, or anything, it just could have use a lot more polish.