American Dreamz

Infobox Film
name = American Dreamz


caption = Theatrical release poster
director = Paul Weitz
producer = Paul Weitz
Chris Weitz
writer = Paul Weitz
starring = Hugh Grant
Dennis Quaid
Marcia Gay Harden
Willem Dafoe
Mandy Moore
Sam Golzari
Chris Klein
music = Stephen Trask
cinematography = Robert Elswit
editing = Myron I. Kerstein
distributor = Universal Pictures
NBC
released = April 21, 2006
runtime = 107 min.
country = United States
language = English
budget = $17 million
gross = $16,458,459
website = http://www.americandreamzmovie.com/
amg_id = 1:333834
imdb_id = 0465142

"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. [ [http://movies.about.com/od/americandreamz/a/dreamzmm041206.htm American Dreamz - Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore and Paul Weitz Interviews ] ] Reviews were lukewarm [ [http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/americandreamz American Dreamz (2006): Reviews ] ] and business was disappointing. [ [http://imdb.com/title/tt0465142/business American Dreamz (2006) - Box office / business ] ]

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

Plot

On the morning of 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 holding 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 (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 do his best to try 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 explosives 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 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
* Seth Meyers as Chet Krogl
* Judy Greer as Accordo
* John Cho as 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. [Weekend Box Office Results for April 21-23, 2006. [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2006&wknd=16&p=.htm] BoxOfficeMojo.com] 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. ["American Dreamz" (2006) [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americandreamz.htm] BoxOfficeMojo.com] It had its widest release in its opening weekend, opening in 1,500 theatres nationwide, [Solid "Silent Hill," So-So "Sentinel," Shattered "American Dreamz"." [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2052&p=.htm] BoxOfficeMojo.com] 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.

Trivia

* Mandy Moore was Paul Weitz's only choice for the role of Sally Kendoo.
* The interior White House scenes were shot on the set of "The West Wing".
* Writer/director Paul Weitz claims that he wrote the original draft of the "American Dreamz" script before he had ever watched an episode of "American Idol".

Pop 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 movie.
* "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".

oundtrack

The film's soundtrack was released April 18, 2006 by Lakeshore Records.
#"Stars and Stripes Forever"
#"One" - Sam Golzari (from "A Chorus Line")
#"Luck Be a Lady" - Sam Golzari (from "Guys and Dolls")
#"Impossible Dream" - Sam Golzari (from "Man of La Mancha")
#"My Way" - Sam Golzari
#"Greased Lightnin'" - Sam Golzari (form "Grease")
#"Super Freak" - Tony Yalda
#"That's Entertainment" - The Jam
#"Nights in White Satin" - The Moody Blues
#"Mommy Don't Drink Me to Bed Tonight" - Mandy Moore
#"(Girl) Let's Not Be Friends" - Joshua Wade
#"Rockin' Man" - Trey Parker
#"Never Felt This Way Before" - Niki J. Crawford
#"Lez Git Raunchy" - Adam Busch
#"Dreams with a Z" - Mandy Moore
#"Tea Time" - Joe Lervold
#"Trail of Love" - The Razen Shadows feat. Teresa James
#"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 & was released in America on October 17, 2006. It was then released in Australia later that year.

References

External links

* [http://www.americandreamzmovie.com/ Official site]
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