As a comedy released in 2006, starring lead actors Hugh Grant, Dennis Quad and Mandy Moore to name but a few, the comedy is thought to be aimed towards a teenager to an adult audience.
The movie places emphasis on various factors ranging from politics, shedding light on the entertainment industry, as well as teens growing up to following their dreams.
While some consider the movie to be good, others had somewhat different feelings regarding the movie and reviewed the movie in a more negative light.
The Storyline of the Movie
As a comedy film, the movie has a satirical feel about it, which includes humour regarding politics and portraying events as it is in the government and Whitehouse of America in a sarcastic way. There is also an emphasis on the popularity that is put on the entertainment industry versus U.S. residents that don’t have the same amount of respect for their president.
The movie thus places a lot of emphasis on the Bush administration during President George Bush’ running as the President of the United States. His role as president is displayed as a rather cultural satire by the director, Paul Weitz.
Unfortunately, the film did not reach the success the director was hoping for and just broke even at the box office with $16,458,459.
The Plot and Cast
The movie kicks off with a re-election of a man named Joseph Staton who is played by Dennis Quad, where he reads a newspaper for the first time in four years. When confronted by his Chief of Staff played by Willem Dafoe, he is forced to appear as a guest judge on a hit TV show in America, American Dreamz. This TV show is modelled after the idea of American Idol.
The TV show is hosted by Martin Tweed, who is played by Hugh Grant, who is on the lookout for finding the next A-list celebrity. The movie continues as the presenter scouts Sally Kendoo played by Mandy Moore, William Williams played by Chris Klein and Omer Obeidi played by Sam Golzari.
The movie continues around the journey of these three contestants. The politic is brought in by a Jihadist contestant, Omer and continues with the president’s role in the country and appearing on a talent show on TV.
Rankings at the Box Office
Well, it’s safe to say that the movie isn’t considered to be a hit movie and was definitely not enjoyed by all who watched it. Making $3.7 million in its first week and a total of nearly $17 million altogether, with its budget of $17 million. The movie just didn’t even break 100% even and left quite some disappointment in the mix.
The movie was also reviewed by Rotten Tomatoes and it received a total of 41% of positive reviews from critics, as well as a rating score of 5.2/10.