Paul Matthews, played by Nicolas Cage, is an unobtrusive teacher. An ex-girlfriend tells him he was in her dreams, not doing anything other than walking past, and she wants to write a blog about it. Soon other people start dreaming of Paul in the same way and he begins to gain notoriety. But then the nature of the dreams start to change.
This is a perfect role for Cage who nails both the mild-mannered man who tentatively tries to cash in on his fame and the desperate despairing guy when the dreams start becoming violent. He is ably supported by Julianne Nicholson as his neurotic, fickle wife and Dylan Gelula as the first person who has sexual dreams about him. Their encounter leads to some of the most excruciatingly humourous moments in the movie.
Writer/director Kristoffer Borgli’s dark comedy is full of ideas. It is a funny examination of how people can become famous for being famous and the opportunities and pitfalls that can bring. It also has a sharp ear for dialogue particularly in the scenes at a publicity agency where the continued use of the word “space” felt so familiar from meetings I have attended with clueless managers.
The quality is not maintained throughout though. When Paul accidentally injures someone and his life falls apart it feels like things are fizzling out with Borgli unsure where to take the story.
Rating: 7 out of 10