American Dreamz  

Review: written 2006

Daft but funny satire on American Idol

I have to confess I enjoyed this - but it's quite a guilty pleasure, as it's hard to find the merit in it.. Everyone seems to be trying hard to lampoon real life. Dennis Quaid IS Pres Bush... Willem Defoe IS Dick Cheney... Hugh Grant IS Simon Cowell... and the humour is mostly found in recognising the lampooning that is going on. However the potential for biting satire is largely thrown away... it's still there, but not so biting (Defoe, at a press conference describes the recent visit from the Russian premier - `The president and Mr. Putin had a nice talk. The president considers him a close friend, while of course deeply mistrusting his undemocratic tendencies.'). This makes for a movie where the characters are for the most part either stupid or unlikable - mostly both.

And yet, when the ingredients are put together and we have a talent show with a failed Arab terrorist who just wants to sing, a budding starlet who will do anything to be famous (even her name is `Kandoo') and the MC is one of the most loathsome and self loathing characters in years - the end result is amusing, and even in some cases surprising. But the reliance on current issues means that a year or more from now this movie is already going to look dated..

Think twice before buying, but rent it for a chuckle if you like.