To dream of a better life is something as natural as any facet of basic human nature. The longing that drives an individual to expand beyond their comfort zone in order to elevate themselves is one of the primary building blocks of storytelling. No matter how many different versions of this story you have experienced, it is one that lends itself to an endless amount of nuanced takes that can be incredibly rewarding. When you are living through the Great Depression in the Dust Bowl of America, it is only reasonable that you yearn for something greater than the struggle you are burdened with on a daily basis. Young Eugene Evans (Finn Cole, Animal Kingdom) is in the tender spot between being an adult with all the responsibilities that entails and a boy with a boundless wanderlust. He fills his heads with the crime-filled adventures that he obsessively consumes after stealing comics from the local store – an act that seems to be very familiar for him. He does not want to be a criminal per se, but the idea of a larger-than-life adventure stirs something inside of him that will not be so easily extinguished, no matter how much life tries to do so.
Dreams may become reality when word spreads around town that notorious bank robber Allison Wells (Margot Robbie) may be in the area after hitting a snag during her latest robbery that left her injured and five people dead, including a child. The idea that the pages of the comic book may soon be colliding with real life is enough to rouse Eugene and his best friend Joe (Stephen Dinh) to doggedly search for her – the $10,000 reward would be just a really nice bonus. Their naive investigation does not completely sit well with Eugene’s stepfather George (Travis Fimmel, Vikings), a member of the local law enforcement who is given more nuance than the typical brash characterization one might expect. He often complains about Eugene’s behavior to his mother Olivia (Kerry Condon, Better Call Saul), worried that he might do something to embarrass him around town or at work. Eugene’s dynamic little sister Phoebe (Darby Camp, Big Little Lies), who narrates the film from the distant future, thinks much more highly of her brother. Eugene fails to find Allison during his search, but gets more than he bargained for when he stumbles across the bleeding fugitive in his family’s barn.
Whenever you have Margot Robbie in a film, she is going to be one of the best parts of that film. Dreamland is no exception to this rule. Even if Allison was as devious of a figure as the authorities paint her to be, it is fair to say we would be just as taken with this dynamic presence. It is a mixture of this dynamism with Eugene’s curiosity that makes it so believable that he would not go straight to the authorities. Eugene is a good person in his core, so he takes to mending Allison before thinking about what may come afterwards. Allison swears that the extent of her bloodlust has been greatly fabricated, and Eugene is smitten enough to want to believe that. Is Allison telling Eugene the truth about her past? It is hard to say in the moment, but she is truthful enough to tell Eugene that she is not interested in him despite confession of his feelings for her. Feelings change, though, and with the offer to double the bounty on her head if he can get her to Mexico, the two draw ever closer to one another as they try to break free of the town that serves as a makeshift prison for the both of them.
The problem with having a presence such as Robbie in your film is the fact that the story seems a bit less exciting when she is not around. This is very much Eugene’s movie, but you never quite get fully invested in the emotional beats of his life. His chemistry with Robbie is a bit shaky, but this makes sense considering the dynamics at play and the way in which they are using one another to various degrees. The film feels like it really starts clicking into place once the pair split from the farm and make their way down to Mexico as a watered-down version of Bonnie and Clyde, but this segment of the film feels truncated in favor of a pivotal character turn for Eugene. We know from the beginning that this is his story, but the ending feels somewhat rushed and incomplete in order for the film to make its overarching point about the jump from being a boy to a man and finding beauty in the bleak world. In the end, the film is overly ambitious in the story it is trying to tell. It is very engrossing for much of the time, but it stumbles when it tries to bring this journey in for a landing. The film is not a bust, but it is a bit of a disappointment compared to the promise that can be seen earlier in the story.
Video Quality
Dreamland comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that is truly stunning. This is a beautifully shot film with many expansive shots of dry, open plains where you can see an incredible amount of detail. The ending sequence features a clearing of trees that provides a nice reference to showcase the depth at play in the image. The film plays very well with the earth tones on display from the greens of the foliage to the stark browns of the dusty, dying farm where most of the film takes place. This is a film with a warm color palette that is reproduced perfectly here with a pleasing radiance. The white levels are handled beautifully, along with the intensely deep blacks that do not appear to suffer from any compression artifacts. There are no obvious signs of any noise or other such digital nuisances. The skin tones look very detailed and natural all around. This presentation is definitely a standout on the Blu-Ray format.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track that conjures a very specific mood that transports you back to this era in history. This is a very subdued film, but there are moments that give the track more of an intense workout. The spirited score from Patrick Higgins is showcased beautifully here with a gently enveloping use of the surround speakers. The dialogue comes through crystal clear without ever being overpowered by the environmental effects or the score. The sound design is just as precisely thought-out as the on screen visuals with all of the sounds positioned just right in the mix. The environmental effects create a really nice soundscape of dust storms and animal sounds. This is not an action-heavy film, so the activity in the low end is reserved for a few moments of gunfire and in the more intense storms. This is a lovely sounding release that brings the movie to life in a really splendid way.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Dreamland is a solid coming-of-age crime crime drama that is buoyed by an amazing turn from Margot Robbie and an impressive ensemble cast. The story feels a bit thin and incomplete at times, but there is enough that works here that makes the journey worth your time. Paramount Home Entertainment has provided a Blu-Ray with an amazing A/V presentation, but there are unfortunately no special features on the disc. Recommended
Dreamland is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.