Watch American Dreamz For Free

Thanks for the memories!

Really Surprised!

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Martin Tweed, played suitably by Grant, is the despicable TV host of a talent show. He treats his staff abominably and is interested only in making his show as vulgar and controversial as possible.Meanwhile, Quaid plays a thinly disguised parody of Bush, as the US president in the middle of a nervous breakdown. His chief of staff (an almost unrecognizable Dafoe) acts as his puppeteer. Add to the mix two would-be singers and competitors in the show: a female version of Tweed (Moore, as a white trash parody of Britney Spears) and a failure of Muslim terrorist, who loves American musicals.The result is a movie that satirizes everything: obsession with celebrities; shallowness; white trash; fanatic terrorists; stupid politicians; self-centered TV personalities; the Middle East; the West; etc...The low rating might indicates that the movie is uncomfortable to watch, rather than amusing - which was my case.Unfortunately, in the 11 years since the movie was released, the socio-political situation did not improve a bit. The current US president is a worst fool than Bush, terrorism is out of control and celebrity-obsessed youth is shallower than ever. Not much to laugh about.

American Dreamz (2006): Dir: Paul Weitz / Cast: Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Seth Meyers, Chris Klein: Fantastic satire that takes crack shots at American Idol, the American President and terrorist. It is also Paul Weitz's best film in a career that has spawned such worthy comic gems as In Good Company and American Pie. It is addressing the success and sensation regarding reality shows and the bullshit concealed. Hugh Grant is perfectly cast as the arrogant Martin Tweed who hosts American Dreamz. His performance is a send off to Simon Cowell of American Idol fame. Dennis Quaid plays a recently re-elected American President ousted onto American Dreamz as a guest judge. His performance is an obvious jab at George W. Bush. Mandy Moore plays off the phoniness of divas as her contending on American Dreamz is manipulated with what isn't happening behind the camera within her relationships. This is perhaps Moore at her best as she succeeds to the delight of the media that craves and buys into it all. Seth Meyers plays Omar, another contender sent by terrorist but who sincerely wishes to compete. Chris Klein plays Moore's moron veteran boyfriend who proves to be several sandwiches short of a picnic. Provocative comedy about pop culture and the reality that the dreams presented are merely costume to the lasting misery of it all. Score: 10 / 10

Against good advice I decided to watch 'American Dreamz'. The fact that Dennis Quaid is playing president and that Hugh Grant is in it should have been reason enough to avoid this. But the reality show spoof concept and the supposed satire angle got me interested. Moreover I had read Ben Elton's 'Chart Throb' (that came out the same year) which also revolves around the behind the scenes of a song contest reality show and it's one of the funniest books I have ever read. So 'American Dreamz' couldn't be that bad now can it? In all fairness, with the exception of the terrorist angle, it is quite funny in the beginning. It could have been more amusing but nonetheless I laughed a little. Then somewhere before the second half it heads downhill not standing any chance for recovery. The movie felt very rushed. The whole terrorist angle felt out of place and clichéd. There's also a boring preachy 'patriotic' sequence. Mandy Moore is adequate. Willem Dafoe, Judy Greer, John Cho, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Marcia Gay Harden are first rate (but every one of them have tiny roles). Hugh Grant is irritating as usual. Dennis Quaid is passable. And, 'American Dreamz' is forgettable.

A messy satire that works because it's really pretty funny. These messy but ambitious films always interest me, and there is plenty of interesting commentary going on in American Dreamz. What other film combines the war on terror with an American Idol-style show? Alongside the usual look at the shallow entertainment industry American Dreamz has quite a few inspired and funny political statements that include Willem Dafoe as a Cheney-modeled Vice President controlling Dennis Quaid's alternate-universe-Bush, a Jew, Gentile and a Muslim competing on the show, and a season finale that walks a fine line between dark comedy and plain distastefulness. Hey, this film is messy, like I said, but I enjoyed it, mess included.Quaid is really funny here, his President feels like a good-natured poke towards Bush, making him out not so much a clueless tyrant, but someone kept in the dark and used a a puppet. Dafoe's VP is the puppeteer, and his performance is pretty inspired. He never goes for the frightening, deathly feel that an actual Dick Cheney impersonation would have produced, and the film is funnier for it. Hugh Grant does a fine Simon Cowell impersonation, but thank God the film doesn't rest on his shoulders because he seems to be off his comic timing lately. Also, it's nice to see Seth Meyers in the movies