Peter Dinklage is co-stars with the legendary, Shirley MacLaine in American Dreamer, a dark comedy from Plaion Pictures which will be available for digital download on March 17th. Will this St. Patrick’s Day be a lucky one for film lovers lovers worldwide? Let’s explore.

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I was first introduced to the on screen work of Peter Dinklage in 2003 when a friend in Los Angeles who was trying to break into the business, invited me to see what he called a groundbreaking feat of acting in the indie film, The Station Agent. I was deeply affected by this drama that found Dinklage playing a reclusive, antisocial man who ends up living in an abandoned train depot, who comes in and out of his shell thanks to unexpected relationships with his neighbors turned friends.

Peter Dinklage’s Unmatched Screen Presence

In the two decades since,  I’ve seen Dinklage pop up in everything from a cameo in Elf, to disappointments like Underdog and Adam Sandler vehicle Pixels, blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame, an X-Men film or an adaptation of Cyrano a few years back. Regardless of the quality of the production, Dinklage always holds the screen in a captivating way. In fact, I can’t wait to see his turn in the upcoming remake of The Toxic Avenger.

As for his co-star, Shirley MacLaine has been a fixture of Hollywood for over 60 years. The Apartment is pure 60’s entertainment, Terms of Endearment is a sappy 80s classic, Guarding Tess where she shared the screen with Nicolas Cage in the 90’s is good for a laugh, to say nothing of her bravado as Endora in the Bewitched movie from 2005. The fact that MacLaine is still lighting up the screen in her 90s is a testament to her talent and innate charisma.

So what do these stars deliver when they team up for American Dreamer? In short, American Dreamer is the story of Phil Loder (Peter Dinklage), a professor of economics, whose dream of owning a home is tragically out of reach until a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes his way when a widow (Shirley MacLaine) offers Phil her sprawling estate for pennies. Of course, things are never that simple.

The Comedy of Frustration

Dinklage is playing the best kind of curmudgeon in his role of Phil Loder. The kind of human who is at once charming and well-spoken, while barely able to contain his frustration about the state of his own life. Phil is sometimes found lost in a fantasy wherein he is kept company by beautiful women in bikinis while lounging on the grounds of a lakeside estate. The dream of the title is literally just that, since he is an untenured college instructor who can’t even get a parking space placard, let alone afford a home in the modern economy.

The irony of it all being that he understands exactly what historical events have led to his dreams of home ownership being completely out of reach. A great setup and a character who immediately pulls in the audience, while pushing away the people in his life with crass dialogue and sarcastic wit.

It’s this caustic attitude that makes his friendship with a slick Realtor played by Matt Dillon a bit confounding. Phil demands to be invited to open house events for homes he can’t possibly afford and provides derisive commentary to the sales pitch that would endanger Dillon’s ability to close the deal. In private, Phil verbally assaults his friend in a way that makes you wonder what their relationship is based on, because it’s far from friendly. 

Using Anger for Maximum Comedic Effect

Despite this caustic conversations, Dillon agrees to setup a meeting for a massive estate being sold for less than a tract home in suburbia, which leads to a delightful sequence of Phil selling literally everything he owns to get the money required to sign the contract. Particularly entertaining to me was the scene of a garage sale where Phil gets snippy with a woman trying to talk him down from $1 to 50 cents for a vintage action figure, which he informs her angrily, “Is a collectible!” Dinklage uses the comedic angle of Phil’s anger for maximum effect, while somehow allowing the audience to maintain a touch of sympathy for this gruff character.

Shirley MacLaine as Astrid

Luckily Astrid (Shirley MacLaine) is just as tough and puts Phil in his place after this first night in the house that he now shares with the elderly owner. TWIST! You see, that’s the rub. Phil will eventually get the home when Astrid passes away, but in the meantime is given only a single room in the residence and treated as a renter. Phil was already frustrated, but now with the dream nearly tangible and pulled away back into the ether yet again, he’s furious. And thus the comedy ensues.

American Dreamer has a Strong Supporting Cast

Phil is wondering just how much longer this woman can stay alive and keep him from inheriting what is now rightfully his, but his basic humanity keeps getting in the way as Phil saves Astrid from multiple near death experiences. He then hires a private investigator played in a hilarious cameo by Danny Glover. He enlists this senior citizen sleuth to figure out more about Astrid’s many “kids” that come in and out of the estate with various accents, with the hope of gaining an edge on how to make the home his sooner than later.

The dynamic between MacLaine and Dinklage is special and as their affection for one another grows, most importantly the viewer buys into Phil’s struggle. Especially when another “kid” of Astrid’s, Maggie, played by Kimberly Quinn inserts herself into the rental agreement, using her status as an attorney to threaten Phil for taking advantage of an old lady. As you might imagine, this relationship softens as well (maybe a bit too conveniently) and soon Phil becomes a confidant to Maggie in caring for Astrid. That’s not to say there aren’t some bumps in the road for dramatic effect, but the pursuit of what seems like such a simple dream is a satisfying one by film’s end.

I should point out that there is quite a bit of physical comedy by Dinklage throughout the run time of American Dreamer, as he is constantly injured by the home he is trying to make his own. These sequences add an extra spice to the film that make it feel like more than a rote drama about two crusty customers who find friendship in unlikely places. 

The Final Verdict

American Dreamer is a heartwarming “dramedy” that is given a satisfying edge thanks to a dash of black humor that will entertain those looking for more than just another film to pass the time. It’s anchored by strong performances from two stars of the silver screen that know how to deliver.

You can find American Dreamer available on digital download as of March 17th on Amazon Prime and other video streaming services online.

Next: Discuss American Dreamer on our Film Forum