‘Sweet Dreams’ (2024) Review – Are Not Made Of This

Have you ever noticed that when listening to the silky, ominous tunes of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” they never actually state what a sweet dream is made of? Sure, she tends to disagree throughout the lyrics. However, she always wants you to keep your head up and notes that everyone is always looking for something. I wish she would state what that was.

I was searching for that while watching the new film Sweet Dreams, a new Johnny Knoxville comedy, searching for its identity. Is it a comedy? Drama? Or just a slice of a substance abuse-addictive life? Like most comedians trying to make a name for themselves, star Johnny Knoxville wants to move beyond riding a bull that gave them a severe brain injury (Jackass Forever).

The difference here is that Knoxville can only go up from here. For the most part, Knoxville exceeds expectations. The film has some typical moments of sophomoric humor. However, some moments are achingly real regarding substance abuse, and writer/director Lije Sarki finds a few moments of genuine heart that make you root for the characters. You wish Sweet Dreams was more balanced in tone and goodwill.

Sarki’s script follows Morris (Knoxville), who opens by passing out nearly naked on a park bench. He’s dirty, smelly, and begging a poor woman for help. Morris has just woken up from a raging bender, needing a cell phone to call his daughter. Next thing we know, his mother (Beth Grant) drops him off at a treatment home to detox. He begins to have clammy skin, a loss of appetite, some nausea, and some killer insomnia.

The counselor, Pete (Mo’s Mohammed Amer), runs the place out of a house in the heart of Los Angeles. Peter used to work for one of these detox centers, but now he has gone alone. He wants to reinvent the wheel when it comes to taking the goal of making money out of the equation. Pete’s reasoning is that substance abuse centers don’t necessarily care if you relapse because that helps bring in more money.

Sarki’s film feels like a deeply personal venture based on events from his own life. However, finding information on this film took a lot of effort, as if Paramount were trying to bury it. It’s not bad, although I find the Rotten Tomatoes scores overly optimistic. Yet, part of it made me wonder if this was akin to taking Kolya and Adam Sandler tried to adapt it into Big Daddy.

Still, there is something painfully sincere at times that I could immediately recognize from my experience working in detox centers while in college, trying to find a career path. Watching a character like Garvey (played by Theo Von) intentionally create off-putting smells in his room is a classic defense mechanism he likely developed as a child to ward off abuse. The moments of realization and transformation are something very few achieve when overcoming addiction.

The depiction of relapses, where one walks away knowing they’ll never come back, and not because of success, brings up a sobering line from Mo, who tells Morris about the success rates in battling substance abuse. This underscores a mindblowing observation of meetings like those who attend Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous—why do you think they always remain the same size?

These moments stick with me, whereas others, like a corny attempt to save the facility by winning a softball game, feel hackneyed. (I would appreciate receiving information about such events if available.) This leads to other issues, such as the mishandling of themes of teamwork, which underscore the need for social support to overcome such a grueling battle.

Sweet Dreams is a mixed bag, with an admirable turn by Knoxville. That’s because the film has its heart in the right place but fails to underscore the actual struggle of addiction and whiffs at moments of comedy because they can feel out of place.

Sweet Dreams is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of Paramount. The film will premiere on Digital platforms on April 16, 2024.