Saturday, May 27, 2006
As stupid as American Dreams!
From the trailer, one could imagine, it’s either a smart, sarcastic comedy or simply flushing your valuable time down the drain! Guess what? It’s absolutely the second one!
A senseless, clueless stupid comedy that pathetically tries to be cute, political and socially critical, but in fact, it’s none of them.
The story is about a British man (played by Hugh Grant) who has a hit TV show called “American Dreamz” which is supposed to be a metaphor of Simon Cowell and his American Idol, but like other metaphors in the movie, it’s so closed to the reality that one wonders why the writer is not using the actual names and makes a documentary instead!
The Simon-like character, in attempt to attract even more audience, handpicks three rather bizarre character, a Jewish Hasidic, an Arab who’s living with his family in Orange county ( and has been put there by a terrorist organization) and a blond trash girl (played by Mandy Moore ). From the other side, the recently re-elected president of the united stated, a retarded character whom is constantly being manipulated by his vice-president ( Willem Dafoe ), accidentally has been attracted to the newspapers and is finding out that he has been deceived all the way, so he grounded himself in his office, reading newspapers. In response to public anxiety caused by the absence of the president from the public scene, vice-president talks Hugh Grant into putting the president in the panel of judges for the final round of the American Dreamz. Knowing that, terrorists try to convince and push the Arab guy, Omar, to reach to the final round so he can blow himself up and kill the president. That’s the story. Now details,
Hugh Grant is playing, as usual, one of the only two characters that he basically is able to play, either a handsome well dressed eloquent British naively-nice guy or a handsome well dressed eloquent British asshole! And this time, he’s doing the second one and honestly he’s good, but is it any wonder? He’s playing almost himself and he’s doing OK. Way to go!
The Iraqi guy, Omar (played by Sam Golzari), has a cousin who lives with his family in Orange County and they are clearly Iranian, although it wasn’t mentioned anywhere! I do not expect the writer and director of this movie, Paul Weitz , to know that, but couldn’t Shohre Aghdashlou (Nazanin) tell them that Dudes, Middle east is a region and not a country and not everybody in this region is somehow related to each other?!
And the the president's assassination plan, give me a break! You couldn’t possibly kill Miss piggy in The Muppet show with this plan! To chew plastic bombs like chewing gum and take them inside the theatre?! Are you kidding me?! Dear Paul, when you use metaphors so idiotically close to the reality, at least devise a plan which is closer to what’s happening around the world. Last time, the terrorists you are talking about, hijacked four passenger planes, destroyed twin towers and part of the Pentagon! Planning wise, Believe me, they need more credit!
and making fun of “American Idols”? Really? Isn’t it funny enough for anyone with the IQ level of, well, somewhere between carpet and door knob!? and does it have any benefit, explaining it to those who are clearly below that range?!
And finally, the political jokes in this movie are so superficial that they’re exactly like calling the fattest kid in the school, lardo! Seriously, how smart is that?!
Well, the only interesting point in the movie could be the fact that the naïve guy, Mandy Moore’s boyfriend and later a war veteran, is frequently being abused as a puppet! Not a bad idea but after the magnificent Jarhead , can anybody give any credit to this movie for portraying the same thing but in the most stupid way possible?!
Final word, the movie is absolutely rubbish and a huge waste of time to a point that even if you happen to encounter it while you're flying over seas, don’t even bother yourself, asking for a headphone. American Dreamz with a Z, is as bland and stupid as it can be, ironically, very similar to the actual one, with a S!
I’d seen another version of this, but the character was a naked woman and to be honest, unless you had necrophilia, it was not pleasant! This one though, is downright fun!
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