Cathardincu
Surprisingly incoherent and boring
AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
Donald Seymour
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
jjnxn-1
Breezy lightweight romp is a bit far fetched but played with a comic edge and a sense of absurdity. Must be approached in the proper spirit of whimsy or the preposterousness of the plot won't work for you. JoBeth Williams is certainly enjoying herself in the lead as the hopeful writer and wannabe sleuth Rebecca Ryan. She breezes through this with a devil may care attitude that injects the whole enterprise with glee. Tom Conti is a good foil for her with his seriousness slowly giving way to befuddlement as she involves them in one hair brained chase after another. Also along for the ride is the delightful Coral Browne as Tom's game if a bit daffy mother and Giancarlo Giannini trying to keep his cool as one indignity after another is heaped upon him. Shot on location in Europe this is a feast for the eyes as well as a fizzy affable concoction.
Wizard-8
CBS made a few stabs in the theatrical film market in the early 1980s, though none of their films made a real impact, including "American Dreamer". There are several reasons why I think this movie didn't make a great impression at the time. For one thing, the visual look of this movie looks a great deal like a made-for-TV movie of the time, not a theatrical movie. The direction is flat, and there is seldom a shot in the movie that looks like it took serious time to plan and shoot. Even the Paris backdrop is usually not used to great advantage, shooting in locations that could have been anywhere! The movie also goes on far too long, lasting about 105 minutes long. What makes many of those minutes agonizing to sit through is the main character. In the beginning of the movie she is sympathetic and you are interested to see what will happen to her. However, once she bumps her head and thinks that she is the heroine of the novels she adores, she quickly becomes very annoying. You keep hoping that the male lead will scream at her or slap her in the fact to smarten her up, but he acts like an idiot and never does the logical thing in any situation.As you can see, I didn't like "American Dreamer". However, I acknowledge that there are fans of this movie, judging by the past user comments. These fans all seem to be women who buy the lead character's fantasy throughout the movie. So maybe if you're a woman, you might like this movie. However, if you're a man like me, I strongly urge you to avoid this movie.
Christopher T. Chase
When "American Dreamer" was released in theaters back in 1984, I was working as an usher in Atlanta, at one of the ones lucky enough to have it (it has now long since been replaced by a raft of "big box" stores.) I was a movie lover anyway, which is why I took the job, but this was one of those welcome times when being an usher was anything BUT boring.I have been a longtime JoBeth Williams fan since the POLTERGEIST movies, but this one has to contain one of her most charming performances. She portrays "average" hausfrau Cathy Palmer, with two engaging kids, a real wiener of a husband (James Staley, making suburban caddishness look a little too realistic), and virtually no time at all for herself...except for when she reads about the latest exploits of her favorite mystery novel heroine, "Rebecca Ryan." A budding writer as well (when and if she has time), her imagination is captured when a contest is announced involving her favorite books - write your own short story about Rebecca and win a trip to Paris! And what do you know...she does. Against the snide, sarcastic barbs of her stooge of a spouse, Cathy ends up enjoying her prize alone...and loving it! (Who wouldn't want to sip wine while gazing out at the Champs Elysee?) But the movie really takes off when an accident causes Cathy to have a slight concussion...and when she wakes, she's no longer just a fan of Rebecca Ryan's adventures. She IS her!!!The madcap mayhem that ensues as she embarks on "Rebecca's" latest mystery soon inadvertently involves the stately author of the novels, (Coral Browne, aka Mrs. Vincent Price), the author's charming and befuddled son, Alan (Tom Conti with his bumbling, beaming Brit persona turned up to "11"), and a high-profile politico, (Giancarlo Giannini), whose shady dealings will soon cause fantasy and real-life to blur for Cathy/Rebecca in a way that will turn Paris upside down!Yes, it's a charming trifle, made even more so by the solid performances of its leads. And it also has a wonderful score and a great '80's-style theme song underneath the end credits, so don't shut it off too soon!I think that DREAMER'S strong resemblance to the outstanding ROMANCING THE STONE hurt its chances of being a bigger box-office hit at the time, but if you love romantic adventures and screwball comedy, you shouldn't let anything deter you from enjoying the adventures of a real heroine...and her name is Palmer. Cathy Palmer. (HA! I bet you thought I was going to say "Rebecca"!)
yonjan
My wife and I watched this movie with a new convert last night. This may well be my favorite movie of all time, but, it certainly our favorite movie. Why? First because it is a complex soufflé of whimsy, cerebral humor, physical humor and a wonderful story. Second, because it has very tangible street scenes in Paris. Third, it is a nice jumble of buddy movie, boy meets girl, adventure, hero story. Rebecca Ryan is "supercompetent", which always appeals to me. My previous favorite movie was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid. While the great parts are still great, there are the self indulgent and incongruous musical numbers which I had edited out of my memory. No problem with American Dreamer. I have seen it 4 time since I get the DVD last fall. The movie is very well paced and should keep the attention of today's teens. The cars and airlines and fashions are totally 80's, but, the humor and characters are timeless. I strongly believe this is JoBeth Williams and Tom Conti's best work and I have a fantasy about a sequel - perhaps a metaphor for the mending of relations between France and the States.
