𓆏What happens when an unremarkable man starts popping up in the dreams of thousands? That’s the delicious idea at the core of this English-language debut from Kristoffer Borgli (2022’s Sick of Myself). 

Nicolas Cage, in one of his more restrained, vanity-free performances (a la Adaptation or Joe), plays college professor ඣPaul Matthews. Married to Janet (Julianne Nicholson) and a father of two daughters (Lily Bird and Jessica Clement), he’s a real Mr. Average – until, that is, he becomes a shining star at night… 

Although he can’t witness others’ dreams – he’s often a passive observer in them – Paul initially 𓂃revels in his new-found notoriety. Borgli craftily replicates some of these fantasias (classroom earthquakes, jungle raids), and wisely makes no attempt to explain this phenomenon. 

Instead, the writer/director has Paul courted by a slick ad-agency – led by Michael Cera’s unctuous CEO, who wants to exploit his ab🌳ility to penetrate the subconscious and turn him into a dream-fluencer.

For a while, the film seems unsure which direction to take. But a darker third act sees Paul’s benign personality begin to warp in people’s dreams, impacting his entire life. Meanwhile, echoing the work of Charlie Kaufman (澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Being John Malkovich in particular), Dream Scenario morphs into a wickedly funny satire on the pꦑernicious nature of social media. Are memes like dreams?𒐪 Maybe so... 

A late cameo from Succession’s ownಌ Cousin Greg, Nicholas Braun, also amuses, but nothi✃ng outflanks Cage, far more real here than he was playing himself in last year’s The Unbelievable Weight of Massive Talent.

Dream Sce❀nario is in US and UK cinemas on November 10.