To Dream
| To Dream | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Nicole Albarelli |
| Written by | Nicole Albarelli |
| Produced by | Nicole Albarelli |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
|
| Edited by | Nathan Perry-Greene |
| Music by | Fabien Waltmann |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 80 mins. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
To Dream is a 2016 British coming-of-age independent drama film, directed and written by Nicole Albarelli. The film stars Edward Hayter, Freddie Thorp, Adam Deacon, Diana Vickers, Kirsty Dillon, and Billy Barratt. It premiered at the British Urban Film Festival in 2016, before its limited theatrical release throughout the United Kingdom in 2018.[1]
Synopsis
[edit]Two self-destructive teenagers won't let anything come between their friendship and their ultimate plan, but when dysfunctional family life becomes intolerable, loyalty leads one to make a choice that will change their lives forever.
Cast
[edit]- Edward Hayter as Luke (teenager)
- Billy Barratt as Luke (child)
- Freddie Thorp as Tommy
- Adam Deacon as Easy
- Diana Vickers as Nikki
- Kirsty Dillon as Helen
- Angela Peters as Grace
- Frank Jakeman as Charlie
- Chelsea Edge as Lex
- Amanda Halipi as Mia
- Jon Campling as Mr. Soso
Reception
[edit]Chuck Foster of Film Threat awarded the film 9/10 stars, lauding that "The performances shine as well. Both Edward Hayter and Freddie Thorp brilliantly command their roles through arrogance and vulnerability, channeling the horrifying uncertainty of becoming a young adult. Frank Jakeman deserves an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor as a broken father struggling to raise his directionless son. Adam Deacon delivers a chilling performance in his portrayal of a psychotic drug dealer, and Diana Vickers perfectly balances the frivolity of being a young party girl with the innocence of being thrown in the middle of Luke's and Tommy's tumultuous relationship."[2]
Elinor Perry-Smith of SEEN praised the filmmaker, stating "Nicole Albarelli relishes the interiority of her characters and resists cliché, establishing Tommy's and Luke's dignity and complexity with humour and pathos."[3] Joseph McLauchlan of Take One Cinema applauded it for being "a tightly plotted and emotionally charged debut that refuses to pull any punches".[4]
Meanwhile, Grace Williams of Battle Royale With Cheese compared Albarelli to Andrea Arnold, but chided the film, stating "there seems to be something missing which could have given the film a final varnish, which is a more interesting script".[5] And Tom Keogh of Video Librarian derided the film, calling it "a miserable, unimaginative kitchen-sink drama" and rating it 1/4 stars.[6]
References
[edit]- ↑ Morgan, Emma (3 February 2017). "Filmmaker Nicole Albarelli Discusses Her Relationship With Filmmaking And The Inspiration For Her Debut Feature Film, To Dream". Winter Film Festival Awards. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ Foster, Chuck (22 January 2019). "To Dream". Film Threat. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ Perry-Smith, Elinor (2 December 2016). "SEEN Reviews: To Dream". SEEN. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ McLauchlan, Joseph (12 December 2018). "To Dream". Take One Cinema. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ Williams, Grace (13 December 2018). "To Dream: Review". Battle Royale With Cheese. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ Keogh, Tom (10 December 2018). "To Dream". Video Librarian. Retrieved 18 September 2026.