Anything that can happen will more than likely manifest in a dream at some point in our lives. Scientists, psychologists and philosophers have been trying to figure out why our brains need to be put in a state where we begin to hallucinate while asleep, and we aren’t any closer to finding a definitive answer, even with the progress science has made over time. This is the exact quandary that faces the protagonist in Dream Scenario, in which director Kristoffer Borgli (making his English-language debut, which has always seemed inevitable based on the sheer audacity he has previously demonstrated) tells the story of a mild-mannered university professor who discovers that his advanced degree is not enough to even begin comprehending the events that transpire after he begins to appear in other people’s dreams, which becomes something of an epidemic, and whether it is trying to acclimate himself to his newfound fame, or dealing with the aftermath of losing his popularity, he struggles to handle the fact that he becomes a celebrity overnight, and gains infamy seemingly even faster. Provocative and odd in a way that is always inspiring, and driven by a sense of genuine curiosity, Dream Scenario is a fascinating film that dares to be different, even when it isn’t entirely obvious what it represents until much later – we may believe it to be inspired by the popular “Have You Seen This Man” phenomenon, but this is only the seed of the ideas that flourish throughout this deliriously funny, off-the-wall dark comedy that goes in many directions, not a single one of them being predictable or expected, which proves that there is still space for originality in the contemporary cinematic landscape, especially when elevating the voices of those who have proven their mettle internationally, since some of the most interesting stories are those drawn from other socio-cultural milieux – although one would need to search quite hard to find the origin of whatever drew Borgli to conceive of this demented idea in the first place.

Some filmmakers are intent on staying within the confines of what is acceptable, while others are far more comfortable pushing boundaries further than they have before, granted it is within reason. In the case of Borgli (as well as co-producer Ari Aster, who was essential in this film’s journey to the screen), the latter is only the start. Borgli has never been a stranger to challenging conventions – his debut Sick of Myself is one of the most grotesque and inspired pieces of art produced this decade, and it has proven to be quite prescient for the times in which we live. When it came to bringing Dream Scenario to life, his vision was clear, almost to the point where it seemed like he was touching on something much deeper than whatever surface-level humour we find scattered throughout the film may suggest, with the more foreboding sense of darkly comical dread found in the recesses being more important to the overall identity of this story. The audacity with which Borgli appears to approach this material is incredibly aspirational for those of us who have a penchant for absurd humour, and he proves that he can craft a truly unforgettable narrative from the most off-the-wall concept. The benefit of independent cinema is that it allows diverse voices to emerge, allowing them to develop ambitious ideas that would never be even entertained in a more mainstream concept, and the joy that comes in seeing just how far Borgli is willing to go to explore some of these ideas, some of which are quite prescient and groundbreaking even for the more progressive era in which we live, is fascinating and leads to a film that combines many different concepts under one continuous stream of surreal brilliance, pieced together through simple but evocative means that immediately consolidate Borgli as one of our most exciting young directors, especially in terms of how he navigates some of the tricky ideas that inspired the film, never once allowing the wacky execution to overtake the exceptional and daring concept.

When it came to casting the role of Paul Matthews, the most mediocre individual one could ever have the displeasure of meeting, it seemed important that someone was chosen who could emphasize the fact that this was a deeply ordinary, perhaps painfully boring, man whose entire existence revolves around chasing a dream that doesn’t exist, but only out of his emotional clumsiness. Naturally, this character description does not immediately evoke the idea of Nicolas Cage, yet he was ultimately chosen, and in the process of agreeing to venture into the fantasy world being constructed by Borgli, he turns in perhaps his best performance in at least half a decade. The popular opinion on Cage has constantly shifted over time – he started as one of the most promising and consistently strong actors, then descended into making films that were extremely cheap and didn’t showcase his talents (and we often built on his willingness to go over-the-top), before the current wave of independent cinema repurposed these skills into a more exciting form, allowing for him to take on roles that still draw on this sense of eccentricity, which has now become one of his defining traits, but placing them in films that are worth his time, as well as that of the audience. He’s a remarkable actor, and every time he appears in something like Dream Scenario, we are gleefully reminded of this fact, especially since he shows such incredible skillfulness when handling some of the more peculiar aspects of the story. He is the antithesis of a boring, mild-mannered everyman, yet he still manages to play the role extremely well, primarily because beneath the surface, the character is just as strange as everything else he has done, and he fully commits to bringing the character to life in a way that feels exciting and inventive, and he is perfectly suited to every aspect of the film. He also develops interesting bonds with the supporting cast, with his chemistry with Julianne Nicholson, Tim Meadows, Michael Cera and the general ensemble (mostly composed of actors playing people who are terrorized by this character in their dreams) all contributing to the general feeling of dread and unease that makes it such a delightfully offbeat film, with Cage’s performance being the thread holding it all together.

There is still something quite mysterious about how he manages to weave together so many different aspects of the narrative with seemingly very little difficulty, providing an insightful and complex glimpse into the psychological state of a character that becomes an overnight sensation, not realizing that with any amount of fame, there are going to be consequences. Unlike other genres or styles of storytelling, which tend to be quite static in terms of the qualifying criteria, satire is constantly changing, and it is always useful to have a more loose working definition. In the case of Dream Scenario, we see a very rare kind of satire – a layered dark comedy about something so incredibly abstract, that the relation to reality is almost unbearably tenuous, right up until this specific moment when we realize exactly what is being conveyed in the film. Many have pointed to Dream Scenario being an exploration of cancel culture – and immediately, this concept would divide the audience based solely on the premise, since few modern cultural concepts are as polarizing. However, rather than being a statement in promotion of one opinion over the other, Borgli’s script calls for a more objective perspective, one that uses a very strange concept to examine the actual process of fame turning to notoriety, and the fickle nature of celebrity. It walks a narrow boundary between being satirical and obtuse, and its ability to look at both sides without needing to be persuasive is admirable and proof that satire can exist without taking a strong stand on either side of the debate, but instead allowing the viewer to form our own opinion. The film is wickedly funny, and a lot of that comes from its ability to be observational more than discursive – the moments of dark humour interlink to create a stream of bizarre moments that carry quite a unique purpose in the overall story, which is the capture the zeitgeist of the present moment, which is much more interesting than a film that intends to persuade us to a particular way of thinking. It’s a masterful example of satire that respects the audience enough to give us some freedom to develop our interpretation, which is quite meaningful and only further strengthens the bond we have with this delightfully peculiar, and oddly resonant story.

Considering the past year has been one where cinema has been pushed beyond its boundaries by many terrific artists on both sides of the camera, it has proven to be quite notable for the sheer number of truly ambitious works that aim to challenge and provoke, while also offering the most solid and thorough entertainment possible, even when it isn’t a prerequisite. Dream Scenario is easily nestled into this group, perhaps being the most sincere and moving out of the several more abstract, surreal comedies we have encountered over the past few months, and coming towards the end of what is already a banner year for alternative cinema, it seems quite appropriate that this one helps close the chapter on what has quite a remarkable moment for contemporary cinema. Wildly entertaining and oddly quite sincere, particularly in how it navigates the emotions stirring within the mind of a man who simply wanted to continue to live a conventional life, one that is decidedly ordinary and far from notable, but who suddenly has it all derailed because of events that are out of his control. One of the rare instances of a film that manages to be a scathing indictment of mob mentality and cancel culture without being a bundle of thinly veiled right-wing talking points (in fact, these very elements are subjected to the same harsh satirical jabs as everything else), Dream Scenario is an exceptionally entertaining film that understands the intricate nuances of the human condition, particularly those elements that are slightly more abstract and not easily defined. Borgli is a very exciting filmmaker – his writing is sharp and scathing, and his directorial prowess is undeniable, so it’s only a matter of patiently waiting to see how his career develops since he has already shown an abundance of promise with his two existing feature films, with this being a considerable step forward in terms of visibility. Off-beat and strange, but never anything less than engaging and meaningful in its unique way, Dream Scenario is quite an achievement, even if some of its qualities are intentionally designed to stir contentious debate, which is yet another merit of challenging, provocative cinema that refuses to buckle under any conventions, and instead relishes in going on its daring journey.