disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

[Fantasia 2020] FUGITIVE DREAMS -- A Gorgeous Road Movie with Excellent Dialogue

9/8/2020

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
Jason Neulander’s road movie Fugitive Dreams is arguably one of the most ambitious yet understated feature debuts in recent memory. And although it bites off a bit more than it can chew, losing track of some of its themes in the process, it’s a gorgeous and poetic film coming from a distinct and authentic voice.

Adapted by Neulander and Caridad Svich from a play by Svich, the movie follows two homeless people as they travel across the country stowing away on trains, encountering an eclectic bunch of lost souls along the way. One of the great things about this genre is that, while the basic beats are the same, filmmakers can do something drastically different with those beats to make something refreshing and original, and that’s exactly what Neulander and Svich do.

The movie’s origins as a play are evident, as its biggest strength is undeniably its dialogue. Sharp, insightful, and sometimes tinged with subtle humor, the way in which the dialogue flows is integral in pacing the film. Despite a somewhat episodic structure, the movie feels wonderfully cohesive nevertheless.

That said, unlike what is the case with most films that are adapted from the stage, Neulander actually does something with the cinematic form here. Shot mostly in black-and-white, but with some bursts of color for symbolic effect, it’s a gorgeous movie, and there’s almost as much (if not more) to deconstruct in the stylistic elements as the narrative.
Picture
Where the film starts to fall apart is in its attempt to juggle so many themes. Obviously, the movie has a lot to say about the homelessness crisis in America, and it’s heartbreaking and effectively-delivered. On the other hand, the explorations of addiction and trauma aren’t as well-developed.

Viewers will likely also be left wanting more from the dynamic between the two lead characters. The friendship that forms between them is definitely interesting, but the addition of other players into the equation distracts from the matter at hand. The best moments are those which let the two characters sit with each other.

April Matthis and Robbie Tann are great together. Both bring a lot of humanity and empathy to their roles, especially Tann, whose character treads a fine line of potentially being problematic had the performance been too over-the-top. But their chemistry absolutely lights up the screen and creates that naturalistic feel that is so needed.

There are a few things about Fugitive Dreams that don’t work quite as well as one would hope, but it delivers on much of its potential. This is one of those multi-layered films that almost demands a rewatch to pick up on all of its nuances.

Fugitive Dreams screened as a part of the virtual edition of the 2020 Fantasia Film Festival, which ran August 20-September 2.

Rating: 3.5/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Allison Brown
    Borja Izuzquiz
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Daniel Lima
    Dan Skip Allen
    Erin M. Brady
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About