American Dreamz (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

American Dreamz is a 2006 comedy/parody film that satirizes both American politics and popular entertainment.

Director/producer/writer Paul Weitz has stated that the movie is meant to satirize both the TV show American Idol and the Bush Administration. Reviews were lukewarm and business was disappointing.

The roman à clef movie boasts characters who are parody versions of President George W. Bush, American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, Vice President Dick Cheney, and television personality Simon Cowell.

Plot

On the morning after his re-election, US President Joseph Staton (Dennis Quaid) decides to read the newspaper for the first time in four years. This starts him down a slippery slope. He begins reading obsessively, reexamining his "black-and-white" view of the world in a more "gray-seeming" way, and holing up in his bedroom in his pajamas. Frightened by the President's apparent nervous breakdown, his Chief of Staff (Willem Dafoe) pushes him back into the spotlight, booking him as a guest judge on the television ratings juggernaut (and the President's personal favorite), the weekly talent show American Dreamz, a show similar in format to the modern-day American Idol.

America cannot seem to get enough of American Dreamz, hosted by self-aggrandizing, self-loathing Martin Tweed (Hugh Grant), ever on the lookout for the next insta-celebrity. His latest crop of hopefuls includes Sally Kendoo (Mandy Moore), a conniving steel magnolia with a devoted, dopey veteran boyfriend William Williams (Chris Klein), and Omer Obeidi (Sam Golzari).

Because Omer's mother died in the Middle East in an American attack, he joined a group of jihadists. He was an actor in an instruction film for terrorists, but he was too clumsy, and his interest in Western music was frowned upon. Therefore he was sent to the U.S. to await further instructions, but the leaders expected they could not use him. He moved to Southern California to live with his extended family there, including his effeminate cousin Iqbal (Tony Yalda) and Shazzy (Noureen DeWulf). Iqbal hoped to be selected to participate in American Dreamz, but in a misunderstanding Omer was selected instead. Iqbal becomes his manager.

Omer's terrorist organization now sees an opportunity: Omer is instructed to make it to the finale, and kill the President in a suicide attack. He succeeds in getting to the finale. Security is bypassed by assembling the bomb after the security check, in the toilet, from small parts smuggled in. Small pieces of explosive are disguised as chewing gum. Omer agrees, but changes his mind and disposes of the bomb in the trash can.

Sally is the other finalist. Earlier she dumped William. He went into the army, was wounded in Iraq, and came back to the U.S. For the purpose of the show, Sally pretends she still loves William. However, he sees Sally having sex with Martin, and is furious. After he finds the bomb in the trash can, he comes on stage and threatens to detonate it. While the other people evacuate, William starts singing and Martin, who refuses to let go of the camera, films it. As William reaches the end of the song, he detonates the bomb by walking into the camera, killing both himself and Martin. The film then cuts to shots of people dialing up their cell phones to vote in for the winner. It is eventually revealed that William Williams is the surprise winner of American Dreamz.

The end of the film reveals what each of the characters went on to do after the end of last season. Omer went on to become a successful star of his own Broadway revue. At the end of the film he appears in a scene from the musical Grease. The President makes his wife his new Chief of Staff. And Sally Kendoo becomes the new host of American Dreamz.

Cast

• Hugh Grant as Martin "Tweedy" Tweed
• Dennis Quaid as President Joseph Staton
• Marcia Gay Harden as First Lady
• Willem Dafoe as Chief of Staff
• Mandy Moore as Sally Kendoo
• Chris Klein as William Williams
• Jennifer Coolidge as Martha Kendoo
• Sam Golzari as Omer Obeidi
• Seth Meyers as Chet Krogl
• Judy Greer as Deborah Accordo
• John Cho as Frank Ittles
• Tony Yalda as Iqbal Riza
• Noureen DeWulf as Shazzy Riza
• Shohreh Aghdashloo as Nazneen Riza
• Adam Busch as Sholem Glickstein

Box office

American Dreamz opened on April 21, 2006 and made $3.7 million in its first weekend, placing ninth. The film had a total domestic gross of $7.2 million and an international gross of $9.2 million, for a total gross of $16.4 million. It had its widest release in its opening weekend, opening in 1,500 theatres across the USA, and ended its national release after only four weeks on May 28, 2006.

In the Netherlands, the film debuted at #7, dropping to #10 in its second week. As of June 14, 2006, the film has grossed a total of "?92,432 in the Netherlands.

In Spain, the film debuted at #11, earning $109,681 in 50 theatres. The following week dropped to #15, grossing $58,467.

Reception

On the review website Rotten Tomatoes, 41% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 152 reviews, and an average rating of 5.2/10, with the consensus: "This overly silly satire aims at too many targets with arrows too dull to make relevant social commentary."

Popular culture references

• Coal Miner's Daughter "? We can see the film's poster in Sally's bedroom.
• As Good as It Gets "? "You make me want to make myself a better person."
• Grease "? Omer is seen singing "Greased Lightnin'" at the end of the film.
• Pimp My Ride "? One of the top ten shows is called "Pimp My House".
• Guys and Dolls "? The film is mentioned and Omer sings "Luck Be a Lady".
• Man of La Mancha "? Omer sings "Impossible Dream".
• A Chorus Line "? Omer sings "One".

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack was released April 18, 2006 by Lakeshore Records.

1. "Stars and Stripes Forever"
2. "One" "? Sam Golzari (from A Chorus Line)
3. "Luck Be a Lady" "? Sam Golzari (from Guys and Dolls)
4. "Impossible Dream" "? Sam Golzari (from Man of La Mancha)
5. "My Way" "? Sam Golzari
6. "Greased Lightnin'" "? Sam Golzari (from Grease)
7. "Super Freak" "? Rick James
8. "That's Entertainment" "? The Jam
9. "Nights in White Satin" "? The Moody Blues
10. "Mommy Don't Drink Me to Bed Tonight" "? Mandy Moore
11. "(Girl) Let's Not Be Friends" "? Joshua Wade
12. "Rockin' Man" "? Trey Parker
13. "Never Felt This Way Before" "? Niki J. Crawford
14. "Lez Git Raunchy" "? Adam Busch
15. "Dreams with a Z" "? Mandy Moore
16. "Tea Time" "? Joe Lervold
17. "Trail of Love" "? The Razen Shadows feat. Teresa James
18. "Riza" "? Pedro Eustache, Paul Livingstone, Faisal Zedan, Wael Kakish, and Donavon Lerman

DVD

American Dreamz was released on DVD in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2006, and was released in America on October 17, 2006. It was then released in Australia later that year.

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