As soon as I saw “produced by Ari Aster”, it all made sense. Dream Scenario is another beautifully sick and demented movie from A24. Lead by an Oscar-worthy performance from Nicolas Cage, the film manages to more than hold its own, delivering another hit for A24 and adding to the already-incredible catalouge in 2023.

The best part of this movie is undoubtedly Nic Cage. He gives another phenomenal performance, embracing the wacky premise and owning it completely. He also shows tremendous range as an actor, going from mild-mannered to borderline psychotic and emotionally distraught in a matter of seconds. He’s an absolute delight to watch on screen and this performance is one of his most re-watchable.

The premise of the film is very interesting. It follows Paul, an ordinary man who becomes an overnight celebrity after appearing in everyone’s dreams. We follow Paul as he loves his new fame and the good, bad and ugly that come with it. It’s so random and wacky but it works, mainly due to the sharp script and performances. Only A24 could pull off such a great idea for a film and make it work.

Something else to note about this film is the interesting social commentary they make on cancel culture. It focuses on the idea of those who get cancelled and if it is justified or if it is due to existential and uncontrollable circumstances. In the case of Paul, it’s the latter. We see how this affects his life, despite having no control and it really talks about how we are as a society a lot. In the internet age, I think that this message and theme hit much harder than normal, something I appreciate from director Kristoffer Borgli.

Dream Scenario is another winner for A24. Nicolas Cage proves yet again that he is just THAT guy and delivers one of his best performances, embracing this film’s wacky concept. He’s socially awkward, hilarious and full of so many emotions. The film, in true A24 fashion, can be stupidly funny at times but also heartbreaking.