ridiculous rating

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Just watch this movie! One of the most original & creative movies ever.

A beautiful concept - poorly executed. The movie is filled with heart and love, but the visual story telling is at best, a mixed bag. The illustration of hell is overdone and somewhat cliche, personally I would have found it more interesting if they had made the mental aspect (even) more central. The ending is quite disappointing, as it really doesn't add much, besides of smelly cheese. However, the music is okay and the camera work is fine. The acting is quite good - and the redemption concept is well put together. Overall the film is fun watch, at least if you're hungover, or on a plane.

What Dreams May Come is about the ultimate quixotic quest. Robin Williams plays Chris Nielsen, a surgeon who quite literally "marches into hell for a heavenly cause." This is not the first time we have seen Williams playing a bereaved husband. In fact, almost every time he plays a bereaved husband he gets nominated for an Oscar (The Fisher King and Good Will Hunting). This may be no exception.Early in the film, Chris Nielsen loses his two children in an auto accident. Later in the film, Chris loses his wife. What makes this role a bit different for Williams is that in between these two tragic events, Nielsen is himself killed in an auto accident. Most of the movie takes place in "heaven" as Chris Nielsen adjusts to the afterlife, and what an afterlife it is.Part of the fun of this film is the art history lesson. One of the ideas put forth in the film is that the afterlife is constructed out of our own hopes and wishes. Because Chris Nielsen loved paintings, his afterlife is made up a series of paintings of which he is a part. The art direction, cinematography, and special effects are nothing short of spectacular. Parts of the film are like a random walk through the National Gallery in London with some scenes borrowing from the impressionists, others the surrealists, and so forth.Chris is guided through the rules of this afterlife by Albert (capably played by Cuba Gooding Jr.). While learning the rules of the game in the afterlife Chris discovers that his wife has committed suicide. Initially, he is excited about their pending reunion, but Albert informs him that because she committed suicide, she ended up elsewhere, and thus begins the quixotic quest, as Chris tries to find a way to save his wife.There are two kinds of people that will not be able to enjoy this film. The person who is skeptical about things religious will see it as romantic drivel. The ultra-fundamentalist will have difficulty getting past some of the new age nuances as he checks each point against his Scofield reference Bible. Both kinds will miss a valuable opportunity. Picasso once said "art is a lie that makes us realize the truth." This film is not so much about the afterlife, as it is about this life. While there are some painful deaths to contend with in this film, the film is ultimately about life and ultimate concerns. After seeing the film, my wife and I talked for hours about our lives, our meanings, our relationship.In addition to the engaging story, beautiful cinematography, and excellent acting by Robin Williams and Annabella Sciorra, there is an excellent score by Michael Kamen. Kamen composed the scores for the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon movies, as well as the scores for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Mr. Holland's Opus. The interplay between the outstanding visuals and the dynamic score makes for some interesting impressions of heaven and hell. If you've been trying to find time to see a play, go to an art museum, and/or hear a concert, consider a trip to the movies instead and see what dreams may come.

I'm a big fan of Robin Williams, but this film would be low on my list of his favourite films. Like I said, most of this movie was like a fever dream, the plot was kind of all over the place and although the ending was nice, they're decision didn't make all that much sense. I doubt I'll watch it again.