Dreams

This film explores the perilous intersection of ambition, love, and power. At its core, it tells the story of Fernando, a young ballet dancer from Mexico whose dreams of international recognition collide with the carefully controlled life of Jennifer, a wealthy socialite. What begins as hope and devotion quickly spirals into a devastating exploration of what happens when someone plays with another person's dreams.

The narrative is rich with themes of social injustice and imbalance of power. Fernando's innocence and vulnerability clash against Jennifer's calculated control, exposing how devastating it can be when ambition is manipulated by those who hold privilege. From the very beginning, you sense the story can only end in tragedy, yet the uncertainty of how it will unravel keeps you gripped.

Jennifer's character is perhaps the most haunting-an accomplished woman, outwardly devoted to her career and philanthropy, yet trapped in loneliness, eating dinners alone, craving youth and vitality through a relationship that was never meant to be equal. Her desperation to maintain control over both her public image and private life turns the story into something deeply unsettling.

It's complex, layered, and relentlessly tense-an unflinching portrait of innocence consumed by power, and of a woman so committed to her own survival that she loses sight of humanity.

Despite the ambitious and arthouse like plot, the movie is not developing it in a convincing way. The often discussed power difference are clearly played and we see icy and emotional scenes. There are many why or why not questions that remain. However, this is not creating any longing for answers. All remaining a limited and missed opportunity for a deeper piece on the hypocritical and paradox world of neo-liberal philanthropy in the US. Indeed, it is a timely given the new US administration. Jessica Chastain described the movie as dark and strong. The applause was friendly and warm. We we're entertained but not speechless.

Michel Franco is a filmmaker who understands how to explore some really dark and twisted movies, that causes outrage and frustration amongst his audience. Having enjoyed many of his works, this latest movie isn't his best movie but it still is ambitious with some good concepts and atmospheres explored.

Throughout, the ambitious atmosphere and direction from Franco is pretty good. As Franco is exploring dynamics between power play, social injustice, politics, and paradox of the world. Alongside with some good camerawork, the performances from the cast members are pretty good. Especially Jessica Chastain and Isaac Hernandez, as the tension dynamic, dark elements, and disturbing undertones offer some good insights to their characters and personalities.

The writing is interesting, however, the issue is that at times, the writing ends up feeling distance with it's mean subject and purpose, which causes some of the pacing and moments feel flat. Franco's point is to explore unlikable characters doing things which makes conflicts and challenges happen. Which Franco does at times have some solid efforts throughout.

Alongside with some clunky dialogue, some of the musical score is good, and the ballet sequences in display are well-directed and presented. I do appreciate some of the lens Franco does explore despite it's very dark and controversy.

Overall, I still enjoyed it as it's dark purpose and presentation feels meaningful.

Dreams is a film with strong ideas and hesitant execution. Franco is right to address the contradictions of migration and point out the cynicism of the "American dream," but he stumbles when trying to turn this into human drama. His dry editing, designed to create rhythm and tension, ends up creating distance and coldness. The provocation he so eagerly seeks is diluted in a film that always seems on the verge of something greater - but never quite gets there.

It is curious how Michel Franco, a director who built his career on uncomfortable, auteur films, seems stuck in his own formula here. Dreams has the same harsh gaze and courage as always, but lacks balance between form and emotion. The result is a film that provokes more by its promise than by its delivery.

Franco remains a filmmaker faithful to his style - and perhaps for that very reason, he remains an artist who, for many, divides more than he unites.

This is not a story about "good immigrants" and "bad white people" as some critics claim.

It's about the collapse of moral clarity. There are no pure victims or villains here. Just people making devastating choices. It's uncomfortable, complex and challenging.

About the casting. When asked if he was afraid to put Jessica Chastain, a world-famous actress next to Isaac Hernández, a ballet star with zero acting experience, Michel Franco said: "I believed he could do it and was willing to take a risk...".. and added "in the end it's just a movie." He doesn't play it safe, not in casting, not in storytelling, not in tone.