“Imagine a country where the President never reads the newspaper, where the government goes to war for all the wrong reasons and more people vote for a pop idol than their next President.”
That’s the tag line for the movie “American Dreamz,” starring Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid and Mandy Moore.
The movie centers around four people whose lives all intertwine throughout the film. Martin Tweed, played by Grant, is a sleazy host of “American Dreamz,” a show that mimics “American Idol.” Quaid plays the President of the United States, who just so happens to talk with a Texas accent and does not seem too bright (if you know what I mean.) Moore plays Sally Kendoo, a contestant on “American Dreamz” who will do anything to win the recording contract in order to become a star. The fourth character, Omer, who is played by Sam Golzari, is from Afghanistan living in the United States awaiting his orders to perform a terrorist act.
Events happen and lives intertwine to get Grant, the show’s host; Moore, a contestant; Quaid, who will be a guest judge on the last episode of the show in order to up his approval ratings; and Golzari, who accidentally lands on the show and is then ordered to kill the president during the show’s finale, all in the same place at the same time.
Sounds interesting, huh? Not only is this movie entertaining, but it is extremely thought provoking. Parts of the film could have been executed more directly. For example, Moore’s character struggles to allow the audience to really feel what she’s thinking during the competition. It seems she is battling with her conscience to be moral, but does not choose to be moral and it’s hard to see her motivation.
What I enjoyed about this movie is writer and director Paul Weitz brought so many different dynamics to the story. The characters in the film are fascinating, but what I respect about this movie is that it got me thinking about our country’s current situation with the war and our president. Any movie that can provoke thought is refreshing and appreciated.