Bullet Points: American Dream

What is the American Dream? I thought I was going to be watching a documentary on Dusty Rhodes. I was wrong. I did get my hands on an advanced copy of the DVD, so let’s see what I got myself into… 

• The technical mumbo jumbo: Lionsgate brings us American Dream. It is hitting On Demand and Digital on January 5th, and it will be released on DVD on January 12th. American Dream is directed by an Academy Award Winner. Have you seen Saving Private Ryan or Schindler’s List? No, it is not directed by Stevie Spielberg, but it is directed by Oscar winning cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski. Now you know the answer to who is Mr. Spielberg’s go to cinematographer. He also was the cinematographer on Cool as Ice. This gives me the perfect opportunity to say: Drop the zero and go out with the hero. 

• If this movie isn’t about Dusty Rhodes, what exactly is it about?: We have a couple of entrepreneurs in Los Angeles trying to complete construction on an apartment complex so they can have their own personal Melrose Place. These goobers are played by Luke “Yes I was in the Point Break remake, but the staff at Bulletproof Action doesn’t recognize the film was even made” Bracey and Michiel “Yes, that’s the correct spelling of my first name” Huisman. They run out of money, and a new “friend” offers to help. This friend turns out to be a Russian gangster played by Nick Stahl. It is also worth pointing out one of the guys has a nice looking Russian girlfriend played by Agnieszka Grochowska. She’s probably the smartest character in the film. I’m lying, she is the smartest character by a mile. The entire movie revolves around Nick Stahl making everyone’s life a living hell. You have all these Russian mobsters, and big time money deals. Yet, Nick is pissed because the fellas didn’t pay him his $7000 finders fee. The screenplay is a little off, and in my opinion, the editing could’ve been better. At times, I felt it was hard to follow, due to some flashbacks sequences that didn’t make a whole lot of sense. 

• Should you watch: I must be honest, I’m glad I didn’t pay to watch the DVD. It was mailed to me to review, and I’m reviewing it. I will say Nick Stahl plays the baddie very well. I’m glad to see his career moving in the right direction again. He was also in Hunter Hunter, another film I reviewed recently. The story is such a jumbled mess, it was hard for me to be invested in the story. Skip it. 

Bonus Bullet Points…

• Final verdict: American Dream is a dollar rental at best for fans of Nick Stahl. 
• Sammy the Dwarf: Yes, look for Sammy the Dwarf (that’s how he is credited on IMDb) as a spa attendant.
• Sex with your clothes off: I’ll give American Dream credit for featuring nudity in the sex scene, because way too many movies these days like to have their characters have sex without undressing. 
• Favorite Dusty Rhodes Quote: “I have wined and dined with kings and queens and I’ve slept in alleys and dined on pork and beans.”