In a rare feat, Kristoffer Borgli premiered his second U.S. release of the year after the jet-black Norwegian comedy Sick of Myself. Teaming him with Nicolas Cage, the Ari Aster-produced Dream Scenario has quite the intriguing premise: a professor stuck in a rut becomes an overnight celebrity after appearing in everyone’s dream.” What begins in a Charlie Kaufman-esque arena turns far darker, as anyone who has seen Borgli’s breakout could expect. Now, following a TIFF premiere and ahead of a November 10 release from A24, the first trailer has arrived.
C.J. Prince said in his review, “The ever-evolving nature of fame and infamy gets examined in Dream Scenario, Kristoffer Borgli’s follow-up to his dark comedy Sick of Myself. It’s the Norwegian director’s first feature in America, and with it comes the confident backing of A24, producer Ari Aster, and a starry cast led by Nicolas Cage. It all sounds promising, and for a time Borgli rises to the occasion with a compelling, satirical high concept. But most of the goodwill Dream Scenario builds in its first half goes away once Borgli degrades the story into a facile, reactionary attack against cancel culture.”
See the trailer below for the film also starring Julianne Nicholson, Michael Cera, Tim Meadows, Dylan Gelula, and Dylan Baker––along with the TIFF Q&A.
Dream Scenario opens on November 10.