Review by John Delia
A very good film for thrill seekers, Dreamland takes you into a world of the 1930’s where times are tough with crumbling farm lands and a country starving during the “Great Depressionâ€. Margot Robbie leads a fine cast and she melts into a role that’s entrancing, deceitful and incisive. It’s an excellent character for her and she shines with her co-stars Finn Cole and Darby Camp.
The youngest of the Evans family, Phoebe (Darby Camp) tells the coming of age story of her stepbrother Eugene (Finn Cole) who goes from his hum drum life to one of sexual desire. Dealing with a time in history that has changed many lives from middle class farmers to people taking desperate measures, Eugene’s teen years are disheartening. His only treat is reading the monthly “Detective†magazine.
But that’s all about to change because Eugene is faced with making a decision that will decide his fate forever. When he enters a deserted barn on his parent’s property he finds notorious bank robber and suspected killer Allison Wells (Margot Robbie) bleeding from a gunshot wound. Shocked but excited to be in the company of the infamous woman, Allison talks Eugene into giving her a chance to escape.
With a father (Travis Fimmel) who’s a police officer that’s on Allison’s trail, Eugene will have to make some quick decisions, but will his choices be the right ones? The film plays out nicely as director Miles Joris-Peyrafitte positions his characters for unexpected challenges starting with having to take a bullet out of Allison’s thigh. The twist in the finale is one you may not have expected.
Reminiscent of Faye Dunaway as Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde, the romance thriller takes Margot Robbie out of her super whacky element of Harley Quinn and puts her in a well-deserved role. As Allison she’s very cunning and alluring and knows she has Eugene in the palm of her hand. But her past is catching up to her quickly and she has to make a decision whether to escape with Eugene from her sordid past or leave him for his own safety.
As Eugene, Finn Cole gives an excellent performance as the mixed up teen who feels he has a chance to break from his mundane life by helping Allison. But the older and wiser Allison has the upper hand knowing of Eugene’s desires for her and she easily controls his next move. Cole’s fine acting brings out the innocence of the boy as he dives into an unexpected adventure.
Dreamland is rated R by the MPAA for some violence, language and sexuality/nudity. The film is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Code. My star rating is 4.5 out of 5.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Finn Cole, Margot Robbie, Travis Fimmel, Kerry Condon, Darby Camp, Garrett Hedland
Directed by: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
MPAA Rating: Rated R for some violence, language and sexuality/nudity
Running Time: 1 hr. 38 min
Release Date: January 19, 2021
Audio: Dolby TureHD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, English Audio Description, and French
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Available: Blu-ray, DVD, Digital