I was fortunate enough to see Dreamers at a screening in Los Angeles, and I was struck by the poetry of this film. Because Ann Lu is a native of China, I think she brings a unique perspective to Hollywood and the tale of two young filmmakers obsessed with making cinema. It's a Hollywood we don't normally see -- a world of subtle compromises, quiet ambition, and relentless dreams. Where most films about film-making depict the struggles of Hollywood through cliché, this film reveals its protagonist through his dysfunctional relationship with his possessive mother. Lu shows us the painful reality of broken homes, and how that pain follows us and influences us well into adulthood. The direction here is evocative of the French new wave, with suburb acting. It is a must for those fascinated by what propels, shatters, and ultimately fulfills our dreams.
