Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Aiden Melton The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Python Hyena American Dreamz (2006): Dir: Paul Weitz / Cast: Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Seth Meyers, Chris Klein: Fantastic satire that takes crack shots at American Idol, the American President and terrorist. It is also Paul Weitz's best film in a career that has spawned such worthy comic gems as In Good Company and American Pie. It is addressing the success and sensation regarding reality shows and the bullshit concealed. Hugh Grant is perfectly cast as the arrogant Martin Tweed who hosts American Dreamz. His performance is a send off to Simon Cowell of American Idol fame. Dennis Quaid plays a recently re-elected American President ousted onto American Dreamz as a guest judge. His performance is an obvious jab at George W. Bush. Mandy Moore plays off the phoniness of divas as her contending on American Dreamz is manipulated with what isn't happening behind the camera within her relationships. This is perhaps Moore at her best as she succeeds to the delight of the media that craves and buys into it all. Seth Meyers plays Omar, another contender sent by terrorist but who sincerely wishes to compete. Chris Klein plays Moore's moron veteran boyfriend who proves to be several sandwiches short of a picnic. Provocative comedy about pop culture and the reality that the dreams presented are merely costume to the lasting misery of it all. Score: 10 / 10

MRavenwood Really badly paced, with a weak script. Lots of hate-filled messages and non-stop unfunny stereotypes that a teenager would dream up. Big-time hate going on for George Bush, which radically dates the movie. Too bad because there is some decent talent here who could have made it funny if only the producers were so focused on mocking American Idol, and perhaps more specifically - its audience. Which... is exactly who would have bought tickets to this film if only it were a loving poke at Idol, instead of a mean-spirited disdain. And for the record, I don't watch the show or care about it. The only reason I am not giving it a 1 is because the cast didn't write this piece of S.

paudie "American Dreamz" seems to have all the ingredients to be a great satirical comedy but I thought that the result was less than the sum of its parts.There is good cast, including talented actors such as Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid and Mandy Moore. The premise is also good – a satirical look at both TV talent shows and politics. However it just doesn't have enough laughs to deliver on its promise.The movie is about a show like Pop Idol or the X Factor. The shows producers and its jaded presenter, played by Grant, are desperate to keep ratings high and so handpick the contestants they want to be in the final One of these is played by Moore. She appears as an All-American girl next door but will do ANYTHING to win. By accident, Omer, an Arab staying with cousins in the US is also picked. He also happens to be a sleeper agent for an Islamic terrorist group. The other thread to the movie is about the US President, played by Dennis Quaid. He is depressed and refuses to go out in public but is persuaded by his Chief of Staff (Willem Dafoe) to increase his popularity by going on the shows finale as a judge.Perhaps it is the presence of two radically different story lines that leads to the movie struggling unsuccessfully to be funny. There are too many characters that we have to keep track of. A potentially interesting storyline about the relationship between the Grant's character and Moore's, one more self obsessed than the other, is not explored fully as the movies rushes to a chaotic and unsatisfying climax.

marieinkpen i'm sure this is a bit of a politically dubious film, especially where iraq is concerned, and it isn't the sort of film that stays with you after it is over, but it did have many moments that made me laugh out loud - sheer wonderful surprise. the acting on the whole is nicely understated and dennis quaid stops short of making his president completely mockable, doesn't take the easy route. tony yalda is wonderful as iqbal but hugh grant lacks both the charisma and the comic timing for his role and his voice keeps changing throughout - but he wasn't complete rubbish, and yes, well, he's still rather sexy. but still, ultimately rather a slight film.