Dream Scenario (2023)

Dream Scenario follows Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage), a small-time, listless family man and tenured professor whose bland existence is suddenly upended when he inexplicably begins appearing in the dreams of millions of strangers. At first his nocturnal cameos are harmless and oddly banal—Paul simply stands there, awkward and indifferent—yet the internet and media quickly seize on him, transforming his anonymity into overnight fame. What begins as a bizarre, darkly comic celebrity story soon skews into something far more sinister when some dreamers’ visions of Paul turn violent, forcing him to confront the terrifying consequences of being everywhere and known by no one. If you watch Dream Scenario you’ll experience a tug-of-war between deadpan comedy and escalating dread. The film leans into surreal, often unsettling dream sequences that contrast with the ordinary domestic and academic rhythms of Paul’s waking life. Nicolas Cage plays against type as a subdued, anxious man whose awkwardness becomes the catalyst for both public adoration and creeping paranoia. The tone shifts skillfully from satirical jabs at fame, social media sensationalism, and midlife invisibility to genuine horror as the dream appearances take on nightmarish implications. Visually and emotionally the movie mixes mundane realism with increasingly off-kilter, dreamlike imagery—expect eerie, uncanny moments, absurd public spectacle, and a mounting sense of menace. The humor is dark and awkward rather than broad, and the scares tend to come from psychological dissonance and the implications of losing control over one’s image and agency. Themes include anonymity vs. celebrity, the ethics of attention, and the personal costs of being made a symbol without consent. Overall, Dream Scenario is for viewers who enjoy genre-bending films that combine satirical comedy with surreal horror and a strong lead performance. You’ll leave thinking about how fame can warp identity—and unsettled by how a single ordinary face could haunt millions of private minds.

Actors: Lily Bird, Nicolas Cage, Julianne Nicholson

Director: Kristoffer Borgli

Genres: Comedy, Horror

74 /100 6.9 /10 7.2 /10