On the occasion of the release of “Dream Scenario”, with Nicolas Cage, here are five things to know about this crazy comedy by Kristoffer Borgli.
What is it about ? Paul Matthews, an ordinary professor, finds his life turned upside down when he begins to appear in the dreams of millions of people. Paul then becomes a sort of media phenomenon, but his newfound celebrity will quickly take an unexpected turn…
Adam Sandler expected!
When the project was in its infancy, it was to be written and directed by Ari Aster, with Adam Sandler playing the title character. But, when the director of the recent Beau Is Afraid and the producers of A24 viewed Sick Of Myself, they decided to entrust the writing and direction of Dream Scenario to Kristoffer Borgli. The latter accepted and preferred Nicolas Cage in the main role. In addition, Ari Aster serves as producer on the film.
Stubborn characters
With Dream Scenario, Kristoffer Borgli directs his first English-language film. For the occasion, he wanted to offer a funny reflection on our perception of modern life, where anyone can suddenly become famous and be the subject of a scandal (his previous film, Sick of Myself, recounted the story of a woman who gained influence on social networks after voluntarily disfiguring herself).
“I am attracted to stubborn characters, who live according to unattainable principles at all costs. I believe that fiction allows us to explore the dark and dysfunctional aspects of modern life. There is a very human tendency to focus on the negative , about what we lack even though we have everything. We make ourselves unhappy when we create imaginary expectations for ourselves.”explains the filmmaker from Oslo.
Metropolitan FilmExport Nicolas Cage
Tap into reality
In 2018, Kristoffer Borgli read the story of a professor who lost his job, received significant financial compensation following a lawsuit, and became a spokesperson for so-called “cancel culture.” “At the time, there were no words to describe what was happening to him, but I remember being interested in how students would follow him around campus when he was still teaching and vandalize his car. “It looked like an old western where a person is chased out of town by angry locals. The storyline seemed very cinematic to me.”confides Kristoffer Borgli.
The director then noticed that other teachers had similar stories and that they were all participating in podcasts to explain themselves: “There was often a very narcissistic and almost delusional tone among some of them, who claimed to have been deprived of Nobel Prizes or some academic recognition. I became obsessed with these guys. They all acted as if it “It was a surprise to be dismissed on the basis that they had done nothing wrong, as the crimes they were accused of had been completely made up by the students. That’s how an idea began to take shape.”
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Nicolas Cage’s look
For his character’s look, Nicolas Cage wanted to give him what he describes as a certain “schlubbiness”: a scruffy and clumsy appearance. The actor specifies: “The clothes Paul wears are beige and sober, and we put glasses on him to prevent him from looking like me. We modified my nose a little to make it more discreet. The goal was to make Paul unique, so that it would be easier for the public to follow his story, without seeing me.”
Kristoffer Borgli adds: “Paul is a modern man who tries to be considerate, empathetic and open to everyone. He has spent his whole life being kind, and at some point he realizes that he needs to be more assertive if he wants to succeed.” Nicolas Cage concludes: “When Paul gets angry, it doesn’t seem like a confrontation at all. If he’s neurotic, it’s because he hasn’t managed to get published.”
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Main settings
It was through producer Jacob Jaffke that production designer Zosia Mackenzie was associated with the project. Both had already collaborated on Whit Stillman’s Damsels In Distress. The Matthews’ home, located in a leafy, upscale suburb, as well as the surroundings of the university where Paul teaches, were central to the development of the settings for Dream Scenario. “In the film we spend a lot of time in Paul’s house and a person’s immediate surroundings say a lot about their personality”says Zosia Mackenzie.
The set design team explored a range of architectural styles during pre-production. They ultimately opted for a traditional Georgian-style house in neutral tones. This choice made it possible to anchor the Matthews family in reality. “The architecture and design is neither too flashy nor too stylized, just an archetypal classic American home”explains Zosia Mackenzie, who decorated the place with simple, comfortable furniture as well as hundreds of books, to highlight the Matthews family’s academic roots.