1/2

USA | Mexico 2025
Opening July 23, 2026

Directed by: Michel Franco
Writing credits: Michel Franco
Principal actors: Jessica Chastain, Isaac Hernández, Rupert Friend

Dreams was filmed before US President Trump was elected a second time. At the Berlinale in 2025, it was nominated for the Golden Bear (and got four other nominations elsewhere). Its director, Michel Franco, is Mexican. The story line is about Jennifer McCarthy (Jessica Chastain), a wealthy San Francisco socialite, who is chairing various foundations, among others a ballet school in Mexico City. A much younger ballet dancer Fernando (Isaac Hernández) catches her attention, a passionate love affair begins. After Fernando illegally crosses the US border, drama is bound to occur. Unfortunately, one cliché follows the other in what could have been a meaningful movie about illegal immigration, ICE, deportation, and the power of money and influence being used mercilessly by the Jennifer McCarthy character to get what she wants, etc... One can certainly say that Jessica Chastain, who is an acclaimed actress, even an Academy Award winner for Best Actress in the 2021 movie The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and in her private life known for promoting feminist issues was brave to take on such an unsympathetic role; maybe because it is, after Memory (2023), her second time working with Michel Franco. Or did she want to prove that the well-known and since the Me Too movement even more discussed pattern of an older, powerful man abusing a much younger, dependent woman, works also the opposite way? I would have to give away too much of the plot if I tell you the lengths Jennifer will go to get her way. I will only say that there are quite some twists in this tale.

But back to the way the movie is set up. For my taste, there were way too many flashbacks and short scenes jumping all over the place. The sex scenes could be from a B movie... What we do get to see, though, are two beautiful people: Jessica Chastain was dressed by Ralph Lauren, and Isaac Hernández who is in fact a professional Mexican ballet dancer and actor, and the dancing scenes are lovely to watch. A pity though that the movie is overall flat and more disturbing than compelling, leaving a rather bitter aftertaste. (Ulrike L.)

Another Opinion by Marinell H.

 1/2

Risking life and limb to cross the border, the young Mexican national narrowly escapes before making his way to San Francisco, California. Strong, arrogant and used to having her way, socialite Jennifer (Jessica Chastain) enjoys sharing the spotlight of her influential father, Michael McCarthy (Marshall Bell), a tireless advocate of the arts. Family conversations are often tied to philanthropic work with good-natured banter between Jennifer and brother Jake (Rupert Friend). Their foundation benefits immigrants; her special project requires traveling back and forth to the sprawling metropolis, Mexico City. Where Jennifer and Fernando (Isaac Hernández) meet; now consumed by their illicit, torrid affair, she is initially surprised to see him. Rebounding, she says “I just want to take care of you.” Leaving Mexico and becoming an internationally recognized ballet dancer is the young man’s dream. When Fernando recognizes something is off, he takes a direction different than expected. His wily performative initiative opens contact opportunities, e.g., with Matthew (Wes Chapman) of the San Francisco Ballet. As Jennifer and Fernando’s liaison evolves and transforms, a war of wills develops that serves neither well.

Writer-director Michel Franco’s narrative focus is relative to the ruthless “wolf in sheep’s clothing” idiom, i.e., someone of seemingly good intentions being in reality deceitful, dangerous. The screenplay’s terseness, the characters’ chilly, cardboard interactions, and tense impersonal sexuality is a stinging commentary on current societal interaction. Oscar® winner Jessica Chastain and ballet dancer/actor Isaac Hernández convincingly perform lust-driven erotica scenes, as well as intense tussles about the enervating miasma of control, manipulating and/or taking advantage issues that permeate the film. Respite comes with the ballet scenes, e.g., Hernández and Sasha Desola dancing a “Black Swan” routine. Production values are solid: cinematographer Yves Cape; editors Óscar Figueroa and Michel Franco; production design Alfredo Wigueras; art director Luciana Solórzano; casting Nina Henninger, Viridiana Olvera, Susan Shopmaker. Like dreams, moving throughout the film is an elusive quality that envelops perceptions. 98 minutes