Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Clarissa Mora The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

dierregi Martin Tweed, played suitably by Grant, is the despicable TV host of a talent show. He treats his staff abominably and is interested only in making his show as vulgar and controversial as possible.Meanwhile, Quaid plays a thinly disguised parody of Bush, as the US president in the middle of a nervous breakdown. His chief of staff (an almost unrecognizable Dafoe) acts as his puppeteer. Add to the mix two would-be singers and competitors in the show: a female version of Tweed (Moore, as a white trash parody of Britney Spears) and a failure of Muslim terrorist, who loves American musicals.The result is a movie that satirizes everything: obsession with celebrities; shallowness; white trash; fanatic terrorists; stupid politicians; self-centered TV personalities; the Middle East; the West; etc...The low rating might indicates that the movie is uncomfortable to watch, rather than amusing - which was my case.Unfortunately, in the 11 years since the movie was released, the socio-political situation did not improve a bit. The current US president is a worst fool than Bush, terrorism is out of control and celebrity-obsessed youth is shallower than ever. Not much to laugh about.

Python Hyena American Dreamz (2006): Dir: Paul Weitz / Cast: Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Seth Meyers, Chris Klein: Fantastic satire that takes crack shots at American Idol, the American President and terrorist. It is also Paul Weitz's best film in a career that has spawned such worthy comic gems as In Good Company and American Pie. It is addressing the success and sensation regarding reality shows and the bullshit concealed. Hugh Grant is perfectly cast as the arrogant Martin Tweed who hosts American Dreamz. His performance is a send off to Simon Cowell of American Idol fame. Dennis Quaid plays a recently re-elected American President ousted onto American Dreamz as a guest judge. His performance is an obvious jab at George W. Bush. Mandy Moore plays off the phoniness of divas as her contending on American Dreamz is manipulated with what isn't happening behind the camera within her relationships. This is perhaps Moore at her best as she succeeds to the delight of the media that craves and buys into it all. Seth Meyers plays Omar, another contender sent by terrorist but who sincerely wishes to compete. Chris Klein plays Moore's moron veteran boyfriend who proves to be several sandwiches short of a picnic. Provocative comedy about pop culture and the reality that the dreams presented are merely costume to the lasting misery of it all. Score: 10 / 10

FordPrefect-42 A messy satire that works because it's really pretty funny. These messy but ambitious films always interest me, and there is plenty of interesting commentary going on in American Dreamz. What other film combines the war on terror with an American Idol-style show? Alongside the usual look at the shallow entertainment industry American Dreamz has quite a few inspired and funny political statements that include Willem Dafoe as a Cheney-modeled Vice President controlling Dennis Quaid's alternate-universe-Bush, a Jew, Gentile and a Muslim competing on the show, and a season finale that walks a fine line between dark comedy and plain distastefulness. Hey, this film is messy, like I said, but I enjoyed it, mess included.Quaid is really funny here, his President feels like a good-natured poke towards Bush, making him out not so much a clueless tyrant, but someone kept in the dark and used a a puppet. Dafoe's VP is the puppeteer, and his performance is pretty inspired. He never goes for the frightening, deathly feel that an actual Dick Cheney impersonation would have produced, and the film is funnier for it. Hugh Grant does a fine Simon Cowell impersonation, but thank God the film doesn't rest on his shoulders because he seems to be off his comic timing lately. Also, it's nice to see Seth Meyers in the movies

TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews This is a hilarious, if not perfect, satire. Mainly making fun of everything related to American pop culture, this also dedicates effort to parodying the administration of the time(and not doing anything to make it less obvious that that's what it's about)... and as something nice and different, it's about their personalities, not their politics. The humor is excellent, with a lot of dark comedy and absurdity, as well as cleverness. There is a lot of bravery in how far it goes to mock certain things, and I found the vast majority of it hysterical. With that said, some jokes and gags try too hard and fall flat. And I won't be an ass and claim that "everyone who doesn't like this doesn't get it". Weitz also directed American Pie and Down to Earth, and like in the first-mentioned, this juggles several plot-lines well. The characters are mostly credible, if not all the events are. It should perhaps be mentioned that you are, in fact, not supposed to sympathize with everyone in this, and it also is worth noting that there *are* a couple of likable ones, that you can relate to. The performances are a tad mixed, but they tend to be good. Klein is great, as is Grant. Greer isn't given enough to do, in my opinion. And yes, Moore is pretty annoying. She's not an actress, or wasn't at this point. The singing in this is enjoyable. There is occasional sexuality(and a little eye-candy, for both genders), mainly hinted at, sometimes in dialog(no details), and brief strong language in this. I recommend this to anyone that can imagine being entertained by it. 7/10