‘Dreamers’ Looks at Lives of Struggling Filmmakers

“Dreamers” offers an unexpected debut feature from an emigrant from China, yet it benefits from the fresh perspective Ann Lu, who’s been in America since 1993, brings to it. The compassion she shows for her fellow strugglers in independent filmmaking is the movie’s strongest asset.

Dave and Ethan are two small-town adolescents and on the surface are unlikely friends. Dave is a picked-on nerd with a strict, religious father while Ethan is gifted and popular but is made miserable by his constantly bickering parents. Bonded by the unhappiness and their shared love of the movies, they dream of going to Hollywood to make their own films. They tend to look at their lives as through an imaginary viewfinder, and they’re determined to make reality match up with the movies.

Jumping ahead five years, Ethan (Mark Ballou) has taken off for Hollywood with his abrasive, bossy mother on his heels, determined not to be deserted by her son as well as the husband who has finally left her. When would-be screenwriter Dave (Jeremy Jordan) decides to follow suit, Ethan has finally gotten off the ground a low-budget, none-too-promising surreal film about a mental institution dedicated to eradicating the dreams of would-be filmmakers, only to see it collapse about him in midstream.

Ethan lives in a shabby Edwardian duplex, probably near downtown L.A., with his mother, who’d rather he give up on his own dream and throw his support behind her more prosaic dream of opening a beauty salon in North Hollywood. The best that Dave is able to do is to line up a non-paying job as second assistant cameraman, which he ultimately loses.

The question of whether Ethan and Dave are simply wasting time or should continue to hang in there can ultimately be answered only by each individual striver. Lu’s larger point is that filmmaking on any level demands staunch faith in one’s self.

“Dreamers” is ultimately unremarkable, but Lu demonstrates a commitment to these young men, nicely played by Jordan and Ballou.

* Unrated. Times guidelines: language, discreet seduction scene.

‘Dreamers’

Jeremy Jordan: Dave

Mark Ballou: Ethan

Portia Dawson: Patricia

Ruth De Sosa: Valerie

A Dark Lantern Pictures presentation. Writer-director Ann Lu. Producer Artie Glackin. Executive producers Peiti Feng, Yang-Wen Lu, Carl L. Fredericks, Henry Zhao. Cinematographer Neal L. Fredericks. Editor Andrea Zondler. Music Bob Mithoff. Production designer Jordan Steinberg. Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes.

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