What Dreams May Come

Starring: Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Director: Vincent Ward
Genre: Drama
Year: 1998
Rating: 3 / 5

As Robin Williams' career has progressed from the slapstick days of the 1980s into the more serious 1990s, we have seen an actor's evolution right before out eyes. Not one to confine himself to the sort of success he enjoyed early on with such films as Good Morning, Vietnam, Williams has always sought to branch out, and has usually done so with great success. The culmination of this divergence was visible with Good Will Hunting, for which Williams won his first Academy Award. That award was the logical recognition of some of his best efforts from Dead Poets Society through Awakenings through the present day. However, throughout each of these films, Williams never lost touch with his comedic roots, always reminding the viewer that the next laugh, even during the most trying time, could be right around the corner. That lurking comfort zone, such a calling card of Robin Williams, is missing in What Dreams May Come, and it prevents the Vincent Ward drama from realizing its true potential.

What Dreams May Come follows the life of the Nielsens, Chris (Robin Williams) and Annie (Annabella Sciorra), over the course of twenty years of their lives. Most of this whisks by in the film's opening minutes, as we see the couple meet, fall in love, and hurry off to get married. Along life's journey, they welcome into this world two wonderful children. Unfortunately, as life is of the unpredictable sort, fate intervenes in the form of the death of their children. Four years after that tragic event, the once-happy Nielsens are finally beginning to put their lives back together when fate comes knocking once more, this time taking Chris's life.

Down the mythical tunnel of light goes Chris, opening the door into the afterlife. After a brief farewell tour of the land of the living, he finds himself frolicking in his own personal heaven, one which bares a striking resemblance to his wife's artistic visions. Heaven, as What Dreams May Come tells it, is what each of us wishes it to be, and it is different for everyone. For Chris, it is the physical manifestation of his wife's artistic thoughts and creations. Even in death, it seems as if these two soulmates cannot be kept apart.

As is often the case, tragic events such as these continue to strike the same people again and again. Unable to cope with life without her two children and her husband, Annie takes her own life, thereby condemning her soul to an eternity in hell. Chris's ideal world is shattered, as the eventual reunion he so desperately wants with his wife ceases to remain a viable option. Unwilling to accept this latest twist, Chris sets about to create his own heaven, one which is populated by his wife and children. With the help of his guide Albert (Cube Gooding, Jr.) and a mysterious tracker (the seemingly ageless Max Von Sydow), Chris sets out to do what no one has done before - bring a soul back from the depths of hell.

What Dreams May Come showcases Williams in a role similar to the one he rode to box office success in Patch Adams. He exudes a powerful "feel good" mentality, yet once again, the humor present in Patch is clearly missing here. I long ago stopped doubting Williams' ability to deliver a strong dramatic performance, but here, it is simply not enough. Make no mistake - the film is an enjoyable one, highlighted by the jaw-dropping visions of the afterlife. The colorful, paint-comprised landscapes of heaven give way to the sinister, horrifying visions of hell - these are the true stars of the film. Cube Gooding, Jr., in one of his first follow-ups to his Academy Award for Jerry Maguire, makes an enjoyable supernatural guide, and Max Von Sydow is his old, crusty self in a bit part. Annabella Sciorra might have been perfect for the part of Annie Nielsen, but we will never know, since it is left seriously underwritten. Her character is brought forth as a ball of tears and woe, and we see precious little of the shining beacon Williams' character knows her to be. What Dreams May Come offers us a grand supernatural vision of something which seems to defy typcial convention. If only the film as a whole had been so grand...

Cast:

Robin Williams..........	Chris Nielsen
Cube Gooding, Jr...........	Albert
Annabella Sciorra..........	Annie Nielsen
Max Von Sydow..........	The Tracker

Certification: Rated PG-13 for language.
Running Time: 113 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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