In his absurdist dramedy “Dream Scenario,” director Kristoffer Borgli (“Sick of Myself”) wields surreal humor and imagery to tackle the mystery behind dreams. As the film attempts to solve this puzzle, it unearths unconventional social commentary and cheeky satire that offer a bizarrely poignant take on sudden fame.
For loser professor Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage, “Adaptation”) the dream conundrum drastically escalates after he seemingly begins appearing in everyone in the world’s nightly visions. The clueless educator gains overnight stardom, becoming the subject of public adoration and fantasy as the situation continues nightly. But when his ego inflates and his inexplicable appearances regress into nightmares, Matthews is forced to confront his newfound infamy as his fans and family grow fearful of him.
While Matthews acclimates to his sudden stardom, he is forced to grapple with its downsides, including celebrity obsession and eventually cancel culture. From ill-advised sponsorship offers to fans’ bizarre fantasies, Matthews gains first-hand experience regarding how the public cares more about the icon than the actual person – and how it can suddenly turn on its idols at any given moment. While the professor simply wishes to soak in the attention and have his book published, hilarity ensues when he receives much more than he bargained for.
Borgli complements his irreverent concept with a dry, awkward sense of humor that appropriately combines Matthews’ mundane life with his peculiar situation. While dialogue and over-the-top scenarios present more obvious comedic moments, Borgli’s editing notably carries the brunt of “Dream Scenario’s” humor. He makes great use of frequent cuts and scene transitions mid-conversation and exaggerated character close-ups to highlight the film’s tongue-in-cheek approach to its fairly serious concept.
Homing in on his viral status as a meme culture fixture, Cage reins in his typically unhinged delivery to give a grounded, deadpan performance that flexes both his comedic and dramatic chops. Playing the vastly dull, oblivious Matthews, he contributes an even greater amount of strangeness and irony to what is an already outlandish story. Fans hoping to see the actor’s crazier side may still get a glimpse of it from some of the film’s more surreal dreams.
Significant thought is placed into each dream sequence, showing a variety of bizarre scenarios that highlight how unpredictable and hazy they may be, from experiencing one’s own murder to having an intense sex dream. A purposeful lack of detail in the set design, like generic titles featured on books in Matthews’ home, subtly illustrates how dreams often leave out the finer details.
“Dream Scenario” takes frequent jabs at the idea of fame and celebrity obsession, showing how the limelight can corrupt or ruin average people’s lives. Even in the moments when its satire feels like a stretch, its unabashed quirkiness and humor provide much to appreciate.