In Dreams

When this movie first came out, it was generally viewed unfavorably by movie critics, and in certain markets it didn't stay long in the theatres.

I've long been a fan of thrillers, but I paid attention to the critics on this one and didn't see it in the theatres. I caught it on HBO and, after seeing it, I wish I had seen it in the theatres. I do not know why movie critics generally snubbed this film - I thought it was a taut, edge-of-my-seat complex thriller, and there were a few times that I jumped out of that ol' seat, yelling, "YIKES!" (or something to that effect). Sure, it may be a bit unrealistic, but as far as storytelling, directing and acting, it's a very good piece.

Both Robert Downey Jr. and Annette Bening were outstanding; I was riveted by their characters and couldn't take my eyes off either of them during the film. Bening shows her great range and depth, playing the heroine/protagonist whose life turns upside down in only moments and spins wildly out from there. Downey also shows great versatility in a role that he is not normally associated in.

If you enjoy the work of either of these two actors, or if you enjoy complex, mind-bending thrillers, ignore the critics and watch this. I only wish I had had the opportunity to see it on the big screen.

The first hour or so of this movie is great. It is interesting, good-viewing and imaginative.

It's a pity that after the hour mark the film looses so much effectiveness as it becomes ordinary and predictable. It's a shame that a little of the imagination shown in the first part of the film was not evident towards the end.

The film is 8/10 for the first hour, 5/10 for the rest. I feel it deserves 6/10 in total.

The stage curtains open ...

The first time I watched this movie, it was when it first came out in 1999. Back then, I wasn't too crazy about it, and had I written a review for it at that time, it would have been with a low star rating. However, for some reason, I decided to give it another go a few nights ago, over 20 years later, and see if my viewpoint had changed. And surprise, surprise! It actually did, as I will explain in more detail below.

But first, what it's about. Annette Bening plays the part of Claire, the wife of an airline pilot and the mother of a little girl, who is plagued by nightmarish dreams of an underwater city and the murders of young girls. When her own daughter goes missing and then turns up dead as well, it pushes Clair over the edge into a whirlwind of insanity as her dreams continue and intensify. When she begins to see events in her dreams before they happen, she believes she is telepathically linked to the killer himself which sends her down a very dark and very deadly path.

This movie moves at a very rapid pace. You never really get a chance to catch your breath, obviously in an attempt to carry us (as the viewers) down into the same feel and state of chaos as being experienced by Claire as the story develops. This movie had to have been nerve racking for Annette Bening to be in. Her emotions were pushed to the extreme, and she had to do a convincing job, which I felt she did. They kept our killer in the dark for most of the movie, only showing us what he looked like towards the end. And when we do see him finally, he is truly a very frightening individual.

I do recommend this one. I enjoyed it much more the 2nd time around. They did an effective job of throwing you into a very insane, confusing situation without ever losing control of it. It is very dark, with strong themes (ie: water, apples, dreams), and the colors used are pronounced and really add another dimension to the overall feel. I give "In Dreams" a very strong 7 stars out of 10.

This film was indeed a nightmare - a solid cast with a very poor script and a lot of pretty pictures and great sets. An art director's dream come true.

So here's this cool opening premise of an underwater ghost-town that just kind of gets lost somewhere along the way. I was intrigued at the beginning, and by the end (with the Carrie-esque sequence) I was howling at what a mess this film had become. Can't quite figure out how this obviously upper middle class woman gets put in an asylum that makes Cuckoo's Nest's digs look like the Ritz. Guess Mr. Jordan decided that would look better.

I enjoyed the previous comments about how the apple factory happened to have such fresh product since the only occupant was a crazed Anthony Perkins wanna-be. I too had questions about that little stretch. Of course you must suspend some disbelief for any horror film - but this one just asked a little too much of the audience. Rent it if you want to see Annette Benning embarrass herself but look good doing it.

The housewife Claire Cooper (Annette Bening) is married with the pilot Paul Cooper (Aidan Quinn) and their little daughter Rebecca (Katie Sagona) is their pride and joy. When a stranger kidnaps a girl, Claire dreams about the man but Detective Jack Kay (Paul Guilfoyle) ignores her concerns. But when Rebecca disappears during a school play, Claire learns that her visions were actually premonitions and she is connected to the killer through her dreams. She has a nervous breakdown and tries to commit suicide. Her psychologist Dr. Silverman (Stephen Rea) sends her to a mental institution and soon she finds that her husband will be the next victim of the serial-killer. Further, the serial-killer was interned in the same cell in the hospital where she is. Will Claire be able to save Paul?

"In Dreams" is a deceptive Neil Jordan's movie. The messy story is boring and Annette Bening is hysterical most of the time. There is no explanation for the connection between Claire Cooper and Vivian Thompson and the conclusion is terrible. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "A Premonição" ("The Premonition")