Wow! Such a good movie.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Dreamland is an introspective little indie drama concerning the life of Audrey (Agnes Brucker). She lives in a sleepy trailer park way out in the desert somewhere, far and away from anyone else. She longs for a life somewhere else, but is torn between that and caring for her agoraphobic father (John Corbett), who is severely broken following the death of his wife and her mother. Fresh life is breathed into their environment with the arrival of kindly Herb (Chris Mulkey), and his musician wife Mary (Gina Gershon). Along with them is Herb's son Mookie (Justin Long is a tad miscast), who immediately has eyes for Audrey. The two strike up an easygoing romance that is tested by her rebellious nature, and the commitment she feels for her ailing father. Corbett is sensational, giving the best performance of the film as a damaged soul that needs caring for, and to find the strength to move on. Mulkey and Gershon are real life guitars strummers, giving their characters an authentic, earthy feel. The title matches the tone nicely; everything is non rushed, relaxed, laid back and dreamy, as one would imagine life out there might be. I was lulled into the hazy routines and moving relationships that bloom for these individuals out on the far side of nowhere. Great stuff.

This film requires a huge suspension of disbelief. You take for granted what is presented, the setting, the characters, you go into the somewhat exotic world, a trailer park in the open sky world of the Southwest. But after about a slow moving half hour you start shaking your head at what is going on. How do most of these people survive here? How does an agoraphobic man end up in the desert? Who pays for the beer that he's been drinking for two years? You can't buy beer with Food stamps! And who gave him a job with a car no less after two years of doing nothing? It would be much tougher to write and stage his job interview. Who pays for the hospital stay? What kind of a hospital is this that leaves pills by the side of patient's bed? When you discover in the end that we were watching a young poetry genius you wonder why didn't some of that genius come out in her earlier words and actions.

Who cast this movie? First off, Justin Long seems like a nice enough fellow, but a college basketball prospect? He's about 30 years old, 5'6'' and 125 pounds. And how come a trailer park has so many nice looking residents around? I'd move there! I don't mean to trash trailer parks, but statistically speaking, over 50% of the residents could not be that attractive in just about any place. It's a shame the casting is so poor because the film had potential. I love how John Corbett suddenly overcomes his "ailment" at the end of the film without a hitch. I wonder why the actors did not tell the director about altering some of these scenes, but then, if you're going to have Justin Long cast as basketball stud, I suppose no one either cared or was paying attention. Still, if you can get by all of the setbacks (maybe a miraculous intervention or drunken flurry?), Dreamland just might be entertaining enough for you.

Saw the premiere at GenArt festival in NYC on 4/5. The audience couldn't stop laughing. Unfortunately, "Dreamland" is not a comedy. It IS the biggest ego trip I've seen a filmmaker go on in years. "Let's extend this shot for another fifteen seconds so they can really FEEL the emotion. No, THIRTY seconds!" I'd blame the casting director for the hilarious choices, but I have a feeling final calls were made by Mr. Matzner. As ridiculous as it is to have us believe that four of the most beautiful humans on the planet (Gershon, Corbett, Garner, Bruckner) live next door to each other in a trailer park, the casting of Justin Long takes the cake. Even my sports-hating PR girlfriends have heard of UNLV -- we're supposed to believe a 5'8" 130-lb weakling plays basketball for an elite program? Now THAT's comedy! SKIP THIS MOVIE