SWEET DREAMS -- A Beautifully Shot Satire on Colonialism

Review by Camden Ferrell

Not to be confused with the Johnny Knoxville movie coming out later this year, Sweet Dreams is a Dutch production that played at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. This serves as the sophomore feature for writer and director Ena Sendijarevic. The movie boasts some breathtaking and creative cinematography and while it has some entertaining moments and interactions, it doesn’t make the most effective use of its satirical nature.
 
Jan is the Dutch owner of a sugar plantation in Indonesia. One day, he suddenly dies, and his son and his pregnant wife come to the island to inherit the empire. However, things are complicated by numerous events including the fact that Jan bequeathed his plantation to his illegitimate son he fathered with his housemaid Siti. This is a cleverly unique premise that perfectly sets up the power dynamics of colonialism that the film aims to explore.
 
From a writing standpoint, Sendijarevic has a clear thesis from the start, and the interactions of the many characters support this. Its themes are clear, but sometimes it feels like the plot doesn’t progress at a pace that is the most conducive to furthering her ideas. However, on a purely surface level, this script has some great moments of comedy and borderline quirky absurdism that might remind people of other specific films (which I won’t name here), but she still manages to make it feel distinctly her own.

The performances in this movie are mostly strong. Renée Soutendijk plays Agethe, Jan’s widow and as a seasoned actress, she definitely brings the character to life even when the material isn’t always the best for her particular character. Hayati Azis is also quite strong and subdued in her role as Siti, a complex character that she plays very well while understanding the ethos of the film. However, Florian Myjer, who plays Jan’s son Cornelis, is quite hilarious in most of his scenes. It teeters on being overly animated, but he’s able to reel it in just enough for the kind of movie this is.
 
While the movie succeeds on multiple fronts, it also feels like it doesn’t fully live up to its potential. The themes are so rich and ripe for satire, and while it certainly has a lot to say, I can’t say it gets the most mileage out of its runtime. There are moments that seem to meander too much which kill its momentum and cause the satire to suffer as a result. These issues aren’t too prevalent thankfully, and the movie still has a lot of surface beauty that gives it plenty of merit. Its cinematography is impressive and vibrant, and it elevates the impact of the movie as a whole.
 
Sweet Dreams is a smart satire with strong performances and great imagery. It tackles themes of colonialism and the resulting issues of it, and even though it could have been richer, it is still a strong film that is confident in its message.
 
Sweet Dreams is in theaters April 12.
 
Rating: 3.5/5